DADDY
by antares.78
Summary: What did that feeling come from? She was a pain in the ass! Pain in the ass... and cute like hell! House/Rachel/Cuddy
1. Cuddy girls

Set in a Season 7 in which "Bombshells" never happened (because it never happened, right?)

Established Huddy relationship.

I haven't decided the rate yet... rate M just because I know myself ;)

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 **DADDY**

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 **Chapter 1 -** **Cuddy girls**

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House didn't looked up from his medical journal as soon as he heard the tickling of her heels approaching his office and slowing as she entered the door and walked toward him.

"No way." He said looking up as she stood in front of his desk. His eyes lingered on the black skirt wrapping those gorgeous hips of hers, then moving up to focus on her purple low-cut silk blouse before meeting the grey-blue of her eyes. Her left hand fingers fiddling with the ones of her right hand.

She looked at him with a quizzical look, stopping the fidget of her hands and staring right into his eyes.

"Oh..." she replied with a shrug "Too bad you're not in the mood for the oral sex I came for!"

He looked at her over the top of his reading glasses, running his tongue on his lips and holding back a smile.

"You're an evil cunning woman! I know your mouth always craves to make love to me, baby. But never in here. So," he said, taking off his glasses and resting them on his medical journal together with the pen in his hand, looking at her as she slightly trapped her lip between her teeth to hold back a smile "So, either you're really here to give me a blowjob, interesting offering of course, but then I'd need to put you under a neurological examination or, Cuddy, you're here to ask me to take Rachel to her dancing class." He said giving her a half scowl "So, again, my answer is _'no way'_! No way you can put me into that bundle of proud mothers and goofy kids!"

She sighed, shaking her head slightly and looking down at her own hands, then looking up at him again.

"You just have to take her there, sit there on a chair for 40 minutes staring at her 20-year-old teacher's ass, and then take her home"

"Anything else?" He asked with the same tone a waiter taking ordination would have had, still staring at her.

She closed her eyes, sighting again and then running a hand on her forehead before looking at him again.

"Then, since I'm late, you two can stop somewhere, take an hamburger or whatever you want"

"That means I'm supposed to give your daughter a bath and help her getting into her pajamas, not to mention telling her a bedtime story?"

Cuddy sighed again, letting one arm fall along her side.

"She can do that by herself" she said looking at the inscrutable look in his blue eyes "Getting into her pajamas I mean... well, not the bath part of course" she pointed out looking at him "and... you tell her a bedtime story almost every night, House!"

He stared at her for a moment, then letting out a laugh.

"And... how will your mouth skills fit in this plan if you work late and come home dead tired?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"You just stay awake" She answered in a flat tone as her eyes glared at him.

He stared at her for a moment, then letting out a laugh.

"So Cuddy... you're allowing me to stare for 40 minutes at another woman's ass, feeding your daughter with hamburger and grease sauce and fries and God knows whatever else, not to mention treating me with oral sex after an extenuating day at work, just to get me convinced about taking Rachel to a dancing class?"

He stared at her as she held his gaze.

"I'm not treating you with oral sex, House" she said in a firm and now clearly irritated tone.

"Right!" He replied "Actually I'm the one treating you with oral sex now" He said looking at her with a very mischievous look.

She just stared at him, apparently unperturbed by that, despite for how her jaw lightly clenched.

"Never mind" She said, shaking her head and raising an hand, cutting off that conversation, now visibly pissed off. She gave him another quick glare and swallowed, then turning to leave.

House couldn't help but laugh again. His laugh sounded in the silent room as he stood up and took her arm, drawing her closer to himself.

"How long have you known me for, Cuddy? " He said, pulling her closer and wrapping her waist with both hands "How many times did I refuse a free unhealthy dinner?" He said looking into her eyes.

She opened her mouth to reply but he spoke first.

"I'm gonna take her there, we're gonna eat whatever mama usually doesn't allow her to and we're gonna watch creepy pirate cartoon before sleeping, another thing mama doesn't usually allow her to. She's gonna fall in love with me, you know that, don' t you?" He said, teasing her and looking at her as her features softened and the hint of a smile curled the corners of her beautiful lips. _The things he could do just for those lips!_

"She already did" she replied, catching him off guard.

He looked at her and tightened his grip on her waist.

"Yeah, I have this effect on Cuddy girls" he said smiling, then looking into her eyes for a few seconds "Then, looking at a gorgeous ass is still part of our deal?" He said staring at her as she held his gaze.

"I can't keep you from that, House" She replied glaring at him, but meeting his smile.

"Actually you can," he said, moving his hands on her ass and drawing her even closer to himself "since I was talking about yours"

She couldn't help but smile as he found her lips.

"Good move" she said, smiling on his lips "But my answer about your treat is still _'no way'_ , House!" She said paying him back with his own words.

He bit her lips, then sucking on it.

"Who told you I was talking about the skillof _your_ mouth, Cuddy?" He said in a mischievous tone as his hands found her buttocks, squeezing them a little, before his mouth found hers again.

* * *

"Oh, Rachel's father, right? It's so nice to meet you! I'm Jeanna, Rachel's teacher" She said quickly reaching for his hand before he could see that hand coming. He stood motionless for a moment, opening his lips to reply, but closing them a second later, just automatically taking her hand and shaking it.

She gestured him to sit down on one of the chairs of the waiting room and just walked away holding Rachel's hand.

He looked at the swinging of her long ponytail against her bare back and then down at the wiggle of her hips, wrapped just in black tights. And a slightly smile appeared on his lips. _Yeah, nice butt!_ Maybe a little too skinny for his tastes! Not that he was gonna share that with his girlfriend, anyway!

He looked at the only free seat. Between a fat woman on her seventies and what looked like the 50-year-old sister of Barbie. Just with more silicone that Barbie in itself! He couldn't help but laugh to himself. He really couldn't stand women that couldn't stand aging. And that was one of the thing he loved about Cuddy. The thin lines at the corner of her eyes didn't make her less beautiful, and even if she often complained about those aging signs she wasn't at all the kind of woman who would desire turning into a plastic mask with extra lips and cheekbones. Had none told that woman she looked like a blow-up doll?  
And he was not the kind of man who used to insult a blow-up doll!

He reluctantly sat down between them, stretching his right leg in front of himself and meeting Barbie's eyes just for a second, but enough for her eyes to scan him... and... er... _what? Undress him?_

"They're so cute. Which one is yours?" She asked him after a minute, watching the children as they do their exercises.

He didn't turn to look at her, just stopping the slight tapping of his cane against the linoleum floor and looking at his own hand on the grip.

"The one nonchalantly cleaning her hand in her pink tutu" he said in an ironic and half-disgusted tone looking at Rachel as she cleaned her running nose with the palm of her hand, then rubbing that same hand on her tutu.

He looked again at Rachel as she met his gaze, then running toward him.

"Running nose" she said stopping in front of him with a jump and a ear-to-ear smile as House rolled his eyes, taking a tissue from his pocket.

"C'mon" he just said looking at her as she closed her eyes and blew with all the air in her lungs.

House held back a smile, watching as she blew in that tissue like on a hundred candles. Air exiting from her mouth in a loud sound.

"From your nose, Rach. Not your mouth" he said as he couldn't help but laugh, looking at her as she closed her eyes again, blowing with all the air in her lungs "and possibly not turning blue" he said rolling his eyes again as she smiled at him and then ran away, half running and half jumping toward her teacher.

"She's so cute!" Barbie said catching his attention again as he replied just with a _hhmm_...

"My husband never took Brianna to her dancing class" she said, again with a flirtatious look. "Your wife is a lucky woman" she added, obviously pushing the subject and trying to peak into his life.

He just glance at her again, letting out another _hhmm_ , then focusing his attention back on his cane.

"Girlfriend" she said again.

This time he turned his head to look at her, giving her a piercing look and holding back a smile. _So predictable!_ She was obviously flirting with him. And the little brain she had was smart enough to focus on what she was interested in. She was obviously trying to get if he was divorced or something like that.

"What?" He asked as if he didn't get it.

She nodded toward his left hand.

"No ring. So, girlfriend, not wife"

He looked at his own hand and then again at her.

"She owns my balls anyway" he replied in his own way.

Rachel ran toward them again, stopping in front of them with a jump. This time he almost thanked her for whatever she needed now. Everything but stopping that woman from that conversation.

"Pee" she said smiling.

 _Well... not everything!_

He rolled her eyes at her.

"You peed not even half an hour ago" he said in an exasperated tone "What? Have you got diabetes?"

She looked at him with a questioning look and just shrugged.

"Can't wait until... after?" he tried again gesturing with his hand.

"Pee" she repeated smiling from ear to ear, shaking her head.

He snorted and glared at the woman next to him, still interested in his conversation with the little girl, then looking at Rachel again and standing up.

She reached for his hand as they walked toward the toilets.

 _Why? She didn't need to hold his hand! There was no way she could get lost in there!_

He looked down at her again. An almost three-years old holding his hand, jumping and walking (or walking and jumping) beside him. He wasn't going to admit it... but he liked her. A little. Yeah, maybe... just a little.

"Here" she almost shouted in a happy tone as soon as they found the restroom.

 _Why she was always so happy? Why everything made her so enthusiastic?_

"Wait" he said, looking at the sign on the door. "I can't get in there. See? Women." He said pointing at the female figure on the door.

"I'm a woman" she said looking at him.

"You're at most a quarter of a woman." He said looking down at her "And I'm a man" He added then pointing with his cane to the left door. A male figure on it.

She looked at him with a questioning look as he took her hand pulling her through that door. He stopped on the door as soon as he walked through it looking at the guy standing in front of that urinal, anyway to focused on peeing into it for noticing them.

 _Shit!_

He pulled her out of there just a moment before he turned toward them zipping his zipper, but not soon enough for preventing Rachel from almost shouting a _'whoa'._

"Whoa!" She repeated "How can he do that?" She asked looking up at him as he pulled her in the women's restroom.

"May I pee like him too?" She asked with shining eyes.

He just look down at her with a serious look.

"No you can't"

She pouted at him.

"I want to pee like him"

He rolled his eyes at her.

"You can't. You're a girl. He's a boy"

"So can you?" She asked, her eyes brightening because of that finding, as he just nodded.

"Whoa!" She just said again, looking at him as she had just found out the most wonderful thing in the world.

"C'mon" He said opening the door for her, trying to change the subject, feeling a bit uncomfortable as a woman exited one of the bathroom door, looking at him.

Rachel looked at the toilet bowl and then again at him.

"Mommy holds me" she said, looking hesitantly at him.

 _Of course. Mommy holds her, h_ e thought looking at that toilet and then at her. She was so small compared to that bowl that even if she would have succeed on climbing on it, she would have probably fell into it.  
So? What was he supposed to do? Holding her, bending over on that toilet? Not a comfortable position at all. Not with his cane. Not in a room so full of bacteria that he couldn't even lean on the wall for support.  
He looked at her as she looked expectantly at him.

 _Shit!_ And he haven't all that Cuddy's stuff... all that sanitizer wipes of hers! Was he really suppose to sit the kid on that bowl? Cuddy was gonna kill him. Because... yeah, it was just because Cuddy was gonna kill him, not because he didn't want her to get an infectious, right?

"Pee" she repeated, this time biting on her lower lip and jumping up and down.

 _Not a good sign!_

He looked around, then again at that toilet bowl and again around.

"Can you keep a secret?" He asked her with a smirk as she nodded and he nodded in turn.  
He looked around before lifting her and sitting her on the sink, holding her with one arm.

"Our secret, Kiddo. We don't want to be caught, right?"

She smiled more looking at him and nodding, clinging to him.

* * *

"I have to ask your mother an extra" he said checking the belt of her car seat and then getting in the car, sighing.

"Yeah! Extra! Me too" She happily said from behind him clapping her hands as he looked up, watching her through the rear mirror "Extra chocolate milkshake! And extra ice cream!" She said smiling from ear to ear.

"And extra stomachache" he added, then stopping in the parking lot in front of the fast food.  
He looked at her as she looked around. Her eyes shining and sparkling so much that his heart almost ache.

 _What did that feeling come from?_ She was a pain in the ass. She cried for stupid things. She caught on herself the attention of her mother even in the most inopportune moments. Wait... was is talking about her or about himself? He laughed to himself at that thought.

"C'mon kiddo" he said looking down at her.

He looked at her as she looked up, mesmerized in the view of the unhealthy but colored food in the pictures above the counter. He suddenly lifted her in his arms as soon as a fat young man pushed her by side, hurrying to reach the counter to order his food and making her almost lose her balance. He glared at him, settling her better as he held her with just one arm.

"If the human genre is lucky his cholesterol will prevent him from reproduction" he said, looking at Rachel and at the funny look in her eyes. She wasn't perturbed at all by the fact of having almost been crushed by a fat asshole, she was too happy of being there and...

He froze as her little arms clung around his neck and her little head found the crook of his neck... and a strange quiver ran from his neck to his belly at that realization.

... _she was too happy of being there... in his arms._

They ordered their food, then sitting down in one of the empty tables. He looked at her as she sat down on the bench...practically disappearing under the table. And he couldn't help but laugh. How was it that he had never realized she was so little she can't reach the table either? She didn't get perturbed by that. She just knelt on the bench earning a few inches, then resting her elbows on the table with a satisfied look and smile.

 _Shit!_

She was cute _. Pain in the ass. And cute like hell._

...even more with her face covered in greasy sauce. Face and hands. He looked at her as she tried to clean her mouth with her hand... smashing sauce even more on her face... and he couldn't help but rolling his eyes, then shaking his head and laughing again.

"Here" he said reaching for her and wiping her face with a napkin "But don't you dare to touch me with those hands" he said pointing at her hands with a disgusted gaze.

She just watched them in turn, then putting every finger in her mouth, leaking and sucking it clean. Well... clean... but covered in slobber.

He ran a hand on his forehead and then all over his face, but again he couldn't help but smile. It was disgusting... and at the same time she was damned funny!

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Bath... and pajamas. He mentally checked those two last items from the list in his mind. He could do it. Bath done. Pajamas done. He just had to put that little girl to bed ,then waiting for the big girl to come home. He had a few ideas in mind. One of that was about feeding her, leaking and sucking her clean, getting her a bath... and putting her to bed definitely with no pajamas. He smiled mischievously to himself at that thought before a muffled sound caught his attention.

 _Right...pajamas!_ It looked like it was a harder venture than planned.

He looked at Rachel. Well... at that bundle of pink clothes in which somewhere was Rachel.

"Try not to choke with your shirt" he said freeing her from her shirt as her ruffled head popped up from the shirt neckline.

"C'mon. Bedtime"

"Nope" she said staring at him.

"I said bedtime, Rach" He said looking again at the funny expression on her face.

"No, you said cartoons and then beddy-bye" she said again.

He stared at her.

"For sure I never said 'bebby-bye'" he pointed out still staring at her.

"But you said cartoons" She pointed out in turn, this time standing up and running toward the living room without waiting for him.

He rolled his eyes as he followed her on the couch.

And Cuddy found them like that. Both asleep on the couch. A pink bundle wedged between the couch back and House's body. His arm around her, his hand on her arm as her face was buried somewhere against his chest. The only part of Rachel she could clearly see was her tiny hand on his chest.

That view was enough to erase the tiredness of that long day. And love was all she felt watching them. She just didn't know who of them she loved most. She kissed his lips as she reached for her daughter, lifting her and carrying her to bed.

"Bedtime" she whispered on his lips, brushing them lightly.

"Just if you're gonna be naked in it" he replied wrapping her body with one arm and pulling her on top of him, then looking for her tongue.

"So? Did you get to manage her? Or did she drive you crazy?"

He laughed, biting her bottom lip then sucking on it.

"She's a Cuddy. I always can manage Cuddy girls" he answered looking into her eyes with a mischievous look "and they always drove me crazy" he added, staring at her as she smiled before finding her tongue again.


	2. Scent

_Hello Huddy people! Here I am again. To my French friends... I needed a "specific perfume" for this chapter so I made a little research and I found one which in a way fits with what I needed. I have to apologize though because actually I really don't know how it smells or if it's actually a famous perfume in France or not (to be honest I never heard about it! LOL!) So, well, just enjoy the chapter! ;) See you soon!_

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 **Chapter 2 - Scent**

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"Have you talked with Cuddy? The patient's not getting better. Look at his creatinine level. He needs that..."

Taub stopped letting the sentence hanging as House looked up at him, then looking at what had caught Taub's attention.

The whole team turned their heads toward the door as House rolled his eyes then looking at Taub again.

"Budget restriction" He said in a bored tone, sighing and looking at the door and then at his team "It looks like we can count just on the reduced version" he said in a serious but ironic tone, looking at Rachel as she nonchalantly approached him then nonchalantly trying to climb on his good leg.

"Where's your mother?" He asked her, taking her hands for preventing her to succeed in her venture and standing up at the same time. She shrugged, looking at him with a slight pout.

He didn't looked at her, just leaving her hands and saying a _"c'mon"_ as he walked out of the door giving an annoyed look to his team. He didn't look back to check if she was there. He knew she was, from the quick and soft sound of steps behind him. He stopped in front of the elevator, pushing the button with the tip of his cane.

He looked at the nurse who walked out as soon as the door slide open and then down at the little girl who was fidgeting with her own hands in a way which reminded him without a doubt of her mother.

"Ladies first" he whispered pointing to the door with his cane and smirking at her as a big smile appeared on her face.

They looked at the door as the door slide close and then at each other.

"How did you find me all by yourself?" He asked in a soft tone with which sound as a shade of pride in his voice.

She smiled and pointed to the number 4 with her little finger.

"Fouw fow you and uncle Wilson" she said smiling "This fow Mommy" she added pointing to the lower button.

Was he becoming too soft or was it really pride what he felt inside himself? Why? Because she can count 'till 4? Well, actually she can count 'till 20... and it was not so weird that she knew so well those hospital hallways, since she used to be there since she was just a few weeks old... but... _shit! Was that pride?_

He ruffled her hair, then watching the door sliding open and walking out with her.

"Where are we going?" She said, taking the hem of his jacket and trying to pull him toward her mother's office, in the opposite direction in which he was leading her.

"Did Mommy leave you with Nurse Jeffrey?"

She nodded, looking back at her mother's door and then at House again.

"I don't like him. He's not nice with me. And he don't smell good. So I... hide" she said, then looking at her shoes as she was expecting a reproach.

"Smell? Since when you sniff people like a bloodhound?" He asked as she shrugged.

"Mommy smells good" She said in a serious tone, shrugging again.

 _Yeah she does!_ He fought a smile from appearing on his lips at that thought and just ran his tongue on his lips.

"It happens when you use a hundred dollars perfume!" He replied in an ironic tone.

"You smell good"

 _Shit! I-I... Really?_

"Nurse Jeffrey not" She added, awaking him from that stammering thought.

He couldn't help the corner of his lips from curling up this time.

"It's called formalin. How do you think he can keep his skin so smooth?" He said with a wink as a large smile appeared on her face.

"But he's surely looking for you right now. You know, Mom is gonna yell at him"

She looked down just for a second trapping her lip between his lips, then looking up again, meeting his gaze as he bit his lip in turn and gave her a conspiratorial smile.

"I wouldn't like to be in his shoes right now!" He said looking at her as her eyes widened and she shook her head vigorously.

"Me too. Fow sure his shoes smell too"

A laugh escaped his control this time, and he looked around, then looking down at her again.

 _That's my girl!_

"Not nice with you, right?" He asked as she nodded, again ruffling her hair.

The corners of his lips curled in an amused smile and he shook his head, walking with her toward the main door of PPTH "Here! Let's have fun, Shorty. Do you know what smell very good?" He asked her.

"Hot chocolate!" She almost shouted with a little jump and one of her ear to ear smile.

"Yeah! With whipped cream!" He whispered giving her another wink as they exited the door, then letting her taking his hand.

...

* * *

"Still mad at us?" He asked glancing at Rachel and then at Cuddy as she looked at the plate in front of him and then at her own.

"Eat your dinner!" She replied glaring at him "Nurse Jeffrey almost had a panic attack" she said shaking her head and taking a forkful from her plate.

"We stayed out just twenty minutes, Cuddy. Enough for a hot chocolate" he said glancing and winking at Rachel, then looking at Cuddy again as she couldn't help but smile slightly at him.

"With whipped cweam" Rachel pointed out with a large smile.

He closed his eyes for a second in a _'I'm a dead man'_ way as Cuddy just stared at him. House held her gaze then turning to Rachel with a serious look.

"I need to remind you how _'keeping a secret'_ works" He said in a serious tone as she just shrugged and took a pea from her plate with her fingers then putting it into her mouth.

"She's not even 3 years old. Do you really think she can keep a secret?" She asked in what wanted to be an annoyed tone, but sounded more like a somehow amused one.

"She's gonna learn" He replied with a teasing look.

"Yeah. But first _you_ 're gonna learn how to make her to use a toilet"

His eyes widened and he turned his head toward Rachel again, opening his mouth like to say something but just giving her a glare, then looking at Cuddy again.

"You- you'd never ever sit your daughter on that shitty toilet" He said, pointing a finger toward her "It was... "

"Shit is a bad word" Rachel said making both of them turn their head toward her again and House roll his eyes.

"You're gonna make amends" Cuddy said in a firm tone pointing at him.

"I'm always ready to make amends with you, Cuddy" he replied with a mischievous gaze as she rolled her eyes.

"Not with me," She pointed out holding his gaze and pausing, clearly holding back an _'you idiot'_ "with Nurse Jeffrey".

"Sorry. Not my kind of guy" he replied seriously "but maybe... well, if you loan him your LUB..."

"HOUSE!"

The glare she gave him shut him up immediately and he stared back at her with a half amused half mischievous look.

"Your _LUBIN_ , Cuddy" he pointed out with the same gaze as a mischievous smile played on his lips "I love that perfume of yours" he added looking at her as she bit completely her lower lip, closing her eyes and nodding as she held back a smile, then opening her eyes again and staring at him.

She shook her head again, glancing at Rachel, now too focused on playing with her food to pay attention to them.

"Since when were you holding back this pun?" She asked, this time unable not to smile.

"Since the first time you used it" he said, again with a sly look, standing up and putting his empty plate in the sink, then approaching her from behind.

"And now I'm not talking about your perfume" he whispered in her ear than kissing her neck in that way that always made her shiver.

...

* * *

He entered the bathroom and looked at Cuddy as she put her panties back up and looked up at him, glaring at him as she flashed the toilet.

 _Shit! She could turn him on pushing her panties down, but... how could she turn him on even putting them up?_

"Couldn't you wait just a second?" She asked in a slightly annoyed tone waving her hand toward the now opened door.

A laugh escaped his mouth as he approached the toilet in turn, unbuckling his belt.

"Why?" He asked shaking his head and wrapping her waist preventing her from going away "I already know that rumor about you being a man is bullshit" He said with a mischievous gaze, looking straight into her eyes.

"Yeah" She replied "And I still wonder who started that rumor" She added ironically, giving him a half glare and running her tongue on her lips as he let out another laugh.

"And," He whispered on her lips as his hand found the elastic band of her panties, stroking her skin just with the tip of his thumb "I know even perfect gorgeous women sometimes used to pee and p-"

She put a hand on his mouth and she couldn't help but smile, tilting her head by side slightly and biting her lip.

"I got it," She said smiling and closing her eyes for a moment, then letting out a fake sigh, staring at him "So... no more privacy?"

"Do you really need it?" He asked moving his hands on her buttocks and squeezing them in his palms.

"I don'-... I mean, I don't need it, it's just that... well... you don't?"

He laughed, kissing her lips.

"You can even hold my cane as I pee, baby"

She rolled her eyes slapping his shoulder.

"I'm sure you can't do that by yourself" She said staring at him and holding back a smile "And, you have to repeat to Rachel why she can't pee like you" She added with a half annoyed half amused look.

It was his turn to roll his eyes and sigh.

"Did she really blab you everything?" He asked raising both his eyebrows as she nodded trapping her lip between her teeth in an attempt of holding back another smile.

"I think I'm gonna check on the little blabbermouth and leave you your privacy" She said, patting his shoulder and kissing him slightly on the lips.

...

* * *

He opened the bathroom door and he watched her as she brushed her teeth, bent over and leaning on the sink, and he couldn't help but lift her nightie to caress her ass, then squeezing again one of her buttocks in the palm of his hand.

She just smiled, shaking her head slightly in a _'you can't really help it, don't you?'_ way, then closing her eyes at the feeling of his fingers finding the elastic band of her panties and lowering them, letting them slip along her legs till her ankles.

She let out a not very convincing _'House'_ as her hand reached for the towel, not stopping his hands as his fingers moved up her legs again. She just turned her head to look at him as his hands stopped on her hips, gripping them and pressing his groin against her, making her sigh in anticipation at the feeling of his erection against her. His lips found the side of her neck and lingered on it, brushing her skin before kissing her.

"You wore it" He whispered in a mischievous and teasing voice as his teeth grazed her skin then biting her lobe, making her shiver and smile at the same time.

"Not the one you'd like me to wear" She replied with a even more teasing voice, feeling his smile against her skin.

"Do you think you know me well, don't you?" He whispered again teasing her.

She smiled more, turning to look at him and putting her arms around his neck, finding his lips.

"I do" She answered, raising both her eyebrows and mischievously biting her lower lip, meeting his smile as his lips found hers again.


	3. Winners

**Chapter 3 - Winners**

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* * *

"Howse?"

"Hhmm?" He answered automatically, not looking up at her and still reading his newspaper.

"Who's Luca?"

He looked at her, lowering the newspaper and folding it on his knee.

 _Lucas?_

"Didn't you remember him?" He asked as she shook her head, making her hair wave vigorously.

" If you don't remember him... why are you asking?"

A strange feeling closed his stomach as he glanced at Cuddy's back through the door, intent in cooking dinner and not paying attention at them.

"Where did you hear that name?"

She just shrugged.

"Gwandma" She innocently said "She said, 'I still wonder what was wrong with Luca. You dumped the only man who was gonna do an _honowr-able_ woman of you'. She said a bad word too, but I can't say it" She pointed out in a serious tone shaking her head again.

"And your mother?"

"Mama said..." she looked at him with a thoughtful look "She said _'don't you dare Mom'_ "

He looked at the little finger pointed toward him in a very Cuddy way.

"He was..." He looked at Cuddy again as she bent to check the oven and then again at Rachel "Er... a friend of your mom"

"Not yours?"

"Ehm, he... he wanted your mom for himself. I wanted your mom for myself. So... no, not that much"

Her eyes widened and brightened.

"So...you won!" She almost shouted "You won Mom!"

She climbed on his knee so quickly he almost didn't see that coming except for the sharp pain that ran through his leg as her knee jabbed into his good thigh. He grimaced, letting out a _'ouch'_ and instinctively looking down as her foot dangerously swung near his groin, then looking up again as her arms wrapped his neck and a ear-to-ear smile came at one inch from his face.

"Rachel! Be careful! His leg!" Cuddy almost yelled, looking at them through the kitchen door and then entering the living room drying her hands in a kitchen rag, giving House a worried look.

He didn't look at her, too amused by Rachel's funny face as her big blue eyes locked with him.

"Yeah, be careful" He said as he looked beyond Rachel's head at Cuddy and his smile turned in a very mischievous one "That's mommy's favorite leg!"

Cuddy ran her tongue on her lips holding his gaze as a smile played on her lips.

"What's going on?" She asked, looking at both of them.

"Howse won us!" Rachel said proudly cocking her head and giving her mother a big smile as Cuddy gave House a questioning look.

"And Lucas is a loser!" She added as her big blue eyes shone again.

They both looked at her and then at each other as Cuddy's lips parted in a sort of 'O' and her eyebrow furrowed.

"I said nothing!" House said, chuckling and raising both his hands in a _'not my fault'_ way. "Not my fault if she's the smartest Cuddy!" He said, letting out a laugh as Cuddy glared at him.

She shook her head but couldn't help her lips from curling up in a smile, bending down to kiss him lightly on the lips as he cupped one of her buttock.

...

* * *

"So... did you win us?" She mischievously asked, moving his legs slightly to make room for herself on the bed and then sitting down next to him as he lowered the medical magazine he was reading and looked at her from above the rim of his reading glasses.

He placed the magazine on her pillow, putting an hand on her knee and moving it slowly along her thigh, still staring at her.

"Actually I won _you_ " He pointed out, giving her a piercing look "The brat was included in the package"

She trapped her lower lip between her teeth, sucking on it as she held back a smile, and then freeing it.

"You should have warned me I was going to find a brat in my package too" She pointed out in turn still staring at him.

His lips curled up almost imperceptibly despite the firm tone of her voice and the way in which her grey eyes glared at him. His fingers moved up along her thigh grazing her skin and disappearing under the hem of the soft silk of her nightie, then stopping on her hip as his eyes didn't leave hers. She was the one looking down first, focusing on his lips while the feeling of his fingers teasing the elastic band of her panties was enough to make her inner muscles throb. Her hand found the stubble on his cheek and she bent her head looking for his mouth.

"You still wish you didn't but you can't help it, don't you?" He asked her, with a very mischievous look as soon as they eyes met again.

She froze. Her lips just an inch from his.

"What-"

He couldn't help but smile at the look in her eyes and he just gave her a sly look. His fingers dug in her hair, preventing her from straighten her shoulders and keeping her right where she was.

"Jumping on me" He pointed out again, this time with a very naughty gaze "You can't help it" He said again as she bit on her lower lip and gave him an evil look.

Her lips found his mouth and she sucked on his bottom lip, teasing it with her tongue but not deepening the kiss, instead looking into his eyes again and tilting her head back, licking her own lips and freeing herself from the grip of his hands.

 _Of course she wasn't going to give in! Evil stubborn woman!_

He held back a smile as he took off his glasses, resting them on his night stand and looking at her as she nonchalantly turned around the bed and lifted the sheets, then moving under them.

"Do you really think you won this one, don't you?" He asked in an amused tone as her eyes met his.

Her eyes moved from his gaze to the sheet covering his lap and again to his eyes, and she just raised both eyebrows giving him an implicit answer as a chuckle escaped his mouth.

"You didn't win, Cuddy" He said, rolling toward her and wrapping an arm around her body then moving on top of her, straddling her and preventing her from moving.

She gave him a half glare but she couldn't prevent her breath from hissing at the feeling of his partial erection against her. She swallowed, fighting to keep her eyes open as he purposely rubbed himself against her again.

"Didn't I? Sure, House?" She asked in turn "Because I'm pretty sure you're not gonna have what you want tonight" She said again, meeting his mischievous gaze.

"You don't know me that well" He replied, finding her wrists and holding them as his lips brushed hers, then moving on her cheek.

She couldn't help but hiss again in an attempt to avoid moaning as soon as he found her neck. His erection still rubbing against the fabric of her panties in such a way she actually just wanted to rip them off and let him find his way inside her. _Shit! For sure he knew how to get what he wanted!_

"House, no"

He just lifted his head to look into her dilated pupils. _Was there something turning him on more than her grey eyes turning dark in pleasure?_

"No?" He asked, staring straight into her eyes with a teasing gaze.

"You heard me" She replied trying to sound firm despite the way her voice shivered a little.

"You have to tell it at least 2 times in a row if you want to use it as safe word. That's how it works in my bondage dreams with you, Lisa" He teased her as the hint of a smile played on her lips "And it works better if your eyes don't scream a _'God, please, take me right now, House!'_ at the same time"

She closed her eyes and smiled, biting her lip as he freed her wrists from his grip, and putting her arm around his neck, finding his lips and kissing him lightly despite the way her tongue softly stroked his, not deepening the kiss though.

"It's still a no" She whispered on his mouth opening her eyes in time to see him rolling his.

"Fine. It's looks like we have a winner" He said in a not very convinced tone, propping on his elbow to look better at her as a smile played on his lips despite his frustration "Now, let me prove you're wrong" He added in a mischievous tone as her eyebrows raised.

He bend his head again kissing her lips slightly as she gave him a questioning look. She didn't move as his lips left hers focusing on her cheek and then moving on her neck. Her eyes closed at that feeling and she just lingered in that sensation and in the shivers running down her body just at the light touch of his rough stubble on her soft skin. She couldn't help but move under him, lightly stroking her most intimate part against him as the thought of him thrusting into her overwhelmed her again, just at that bare contact. He ignored her, just using his own weight to press her more against the mattress, preventing her from moving as his lips and tongue and teeth tortured the skin of her neck, focusing on that sensitive inch of skin behind her ear that always drove her crazy.

She moaned this time, unable to keep it more.

He raised his head meeting her gaze as her eyes opened and stared at her for a moment, mesmerized in the view of her flushed cheeks and of her red lips.

"Hous-"

His mouth covered hers before she could speak, and she gasped as he sucked her bottom lip. His name replaced by a long moan as he whispered a _ssshhh_ on her now swollen wet lips. She didn't move as his lips found her neck again, this time moving a little down. He didn't use his hand to caress her, and instead used his teeth to lower the strap of her nightie, letting it hang around her arm and exposing just part of her breast. His mouth found her skin again, reserving her breast a devotional treatment and lingering on every inch of skin he could reach.

If anyone would have told him that sometimes she could be even sexier when she was still partially dressed, he wouldn't have believed it. But... _fuck!_

The way in which her chest raised and fell together with her laboured breathing... her flashed skin... and the way in which her hard nipples tried to caught his attention even from under the layer of silk still covering them... it was enough to drive him crazy.

He tried to move the fabric apart using his lips but he didn't succeeded in it and he just couldn't take it anymore. His lips brushed against the soft fabric and his teeth sank in it, finding her nipple. She raised her head to look at him but she couldn't stand that sensation, closing her eyes and tilting her head back again as he sucked on her.

"House, please..."

Her words came like a lament as the back of her head hit the pillow again. Her back arching in an attempt of escape that feeling and having more of it at the same time.

"Please, what?" He asked teasing her, as this time his hands caressed her side then lifting her nightie exposing her breast and belly.

Again she didn't answer and just hissed at the contact of his tongue with her skin.

 _Please, I want you. I need you. Inside me. God, House, please... plea-_

Her back arched more as she felt his warm breath on her most intimate part, despite the panties she still wore. His hands held her hips, preventing her from moving and he just stayed there, inhaling her scent. She lifted her head again to look at him and just let it fell back again, moaning at the feeling of his breath on her.

 _How could him? Almost giving her an orgasm without really touching her?_

Another _'please'_ exited her mouth together with a long moan and he smiled, this time slipping his fingers under the elastic band of her panties and lowering them, then tossing them somewhere on the floor. She met his gaze while he parted her legs, kissing her inner thigh as her inner muscles throbbed just at that contact.

She almost screamed as soon as his fingers touched her, her back arched and her head fell back. He resisted the urge to thrust his fingers inside her and just caressed her with the tip of his fingers. She felt like she was burning. She wanted him. She needed him. Deep down inside her. She wanted to feel him filling her. Thrusting into her. His fingers. Every inch of him. She wasn't thinking straight anymore. She just wanted him. She wanted to feel him. She wanted him everywhere. She wanted to stroke him. To suck him. She wanted him to come with her and inside her.

She lifted her head again, looking at his head sunk between her legs. She couldn't stand that view. Not with his mouth working relentlessly on her. Her head tilted back again, but no sound exited her mouth. She was just a mess of moaning and gasping and hissing in an attempt not to scream her orgasm, awakening the little one in the room next to hers.

House smiled and kissed her belly, resting his head on her abdomen as he let her caught her breath. Her fingers absently moving among his hair as she went back on Earth. He kissed her belly again and moved on top of her, then kissing her mouth as her hands stroked his stubble deepening the kiss. She wrapped one leg around his waist and then the other one, savouring again the sensation of his erection against her. _How could he do that?_ Despite the overwhelming pleasure he had just given her she just wanted him more. She'd never wanted a man more. She craved him. She craved for feeling him inside her. On top of her. For hearing her name together with his moans.

He kissed her one more time and caressed her thigh then rolling at her side, propping on one elbow to look at her as she just turned her head to meet his eyes with a questioning look.

"Where are you going?"

"I need a shower" He said, moving the sheet apart and standing up.

"What-?" She sat up, giving him a puzzled and a somehow annoyed look at the same time.

He bend down just to kiss her slightly on the lips, giving her a teasing look.

"I had exactly what I wanted" He whispered on her lips "What about you, Cuddy?"

She didn't answered but the way in which her lips parted was exactly the answer he already knew. He just gave her a piercing look as he stood up again, then bending down just to pick up her panties from the floor, tossing them to her with a smirk as she caught them.

She looked at him as he headed to the bathroom without looking back, and just sighed, letting her head fall back again against the pillow and then tossing her panties again on the floor. She looked at the ceiling for what seemed an eternity. Her hair spread on the pillow and her hands resting on her stomach. She sighed, closing her eyes and moving the sheet away, standing up and heading to the bathroom in turn.

She looked at him through the fogged shower glass. Drops running from his hair to his chin as he stood close-eyed under the hot water, his head slightly tilted back against the shower wall, apparently unaware of her. Her eyes couldn't help but focus on his neck, lingering on his Adam's apple and then moving down on his sternum and abdomen and even down. _Damn stubbornness!_

She pulled off her nightie anyway, tossing it on the floor, shivering a little as she entered the shower and the warm mist wrapped her skin.

House didn't open his eyes but his hand reached for her arm pulling her to himself. His arms wrapped her small waist and he looked down at her as his lips met the tip of her nose then finding her lips.

"You won a bitch" She whispered on his lips with a half smile, staring at him as his lips curled in turn.

"The hottest" He replied brushing her lips again as his hands smoothed her wet hair then moving to her shoulders and her lower back.

She couldn't help but hiss as soon as his hands pulled her even close to him. She closed her eyes at that sensation then locking eyes with him with a questioning look.

"Didn't you -?"

She met his smile. A mischievous, teasing smile. And she just ran her tongue on her lips giving him the same smile as they lips found each other. Tentatively at first, still looking into each other's eyes. They both closed their eyes as the kiss deepened and their tongue fought for dominance. Lips and tongues and skin. They savoured each other. Every sensation emphasized by the hot water running on her bodies. He moaned as her mouth left his finding the skin of his neck and his hand dug in her wet curls as she sucked on his jugular. He tilted his head back finding the shower wall again and she just smiled against his skin, then moving down along his sternum as her hand moved even down between their bodies. He gasped and tightened the grip of his fingers on her hair as soon her teeth grazed his nipple and her hand wrapped his erection.

 _Fuck woman!_

He opened his eyes but didn't looked down. His lip parted a little and he just stared at the fogged glass in front of him for a second before his eyes rolled back at the feeling of her mouth on his most sensitive spot.

 _Fuck-_

It wasn't exactly what was in his mind when she had joined him in the shower, but... _damn,_ _it was too good to stop her!_

Every thoughts left his mind leaving him just in that rush of sensations.

He grasped her hair even more in an attempt to warn her she was sending him too far or maybe just to tell her to not stop... actually he didn't know. His mind wasn't thinking straight or better... it wasn't thinking at all. His senses just focused on her mouth and tongue as he felt his orgasm growing.

He opened his eyes just to take a glance of her, knelt in front of him, at that was enough. A hoarse moan left his mouth as he tilted his head back again.

His hand found her cheek, stroking it as she placed a soft kiss on his thigh before looking up. Their eyes locked in a mix of lust and pleasure and love and both their lips curled up in a satisfied smile. His hands found her elbows, helping her to stand up, before wrapping her body again. She was all he wanted. All he needed. "Winning" her had been the best thing happened to him. His best winning. Even if, well, if it were up to him he still probably would be sitting on his bathroom floor in an hangover instead than in an afterglow. It scared him how much he depended on her... how much he needed her... how much he loved her. He chucked as a _'I wish I didn't but I can't help it'_ came again into his mind. He still teased her for her choice of words on that night, but the truth was that he just thanked her for having be there for him on that night.

He found her lips again lingering in a soft kiss.

"My woman always comes to take what it's hers" He whispered on her lips raising an eyebrow as she smiled.

She just stared at him with a look which was a silent _'I love you'_ , brushing his lips with hers. Her hands found his stubble, caressing it as her mouth found his again.

...

* * *

He caressed her naked arm and kissed the side of her forehead as soon as she lied down near him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"You should wear something" He said as she raised her head to look at him and he couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm not sick" He laughed again kissing her forehead again "I already told Rachel why I have a penis and she hasn't. I have no intention of telling her why _sometimes_ it grows double its size." He said with a mock glare wrapping the sheet more around her still naked body as she gave him a teasing look.

"Not my fault if you brought her in men's restroom, Dr. House" She said with a smirk.

"Not my fault if it's the only part of me standing at full attention in your presence, Dr. Cuddy" He replied as she rolled her eyes, moving the sheet and standing up, then reaching for the first wearable thing and slipping into it, not bothering to put on a pair of panties too.

"Happy?" She asked as her body disappeared into his own grey T-shirt and she slipped under the sheet again meeting his mischievous smile.

"No panties?"

"You never know" She replied giving him a sly look.

He smiled and just wrapped his arm around her again as she rested her head on his shoulder, finding exactly the same spot she always liked. He distractedly caressed her arm as her fingers fidgeted with the hair on his chest.

"So... what's the matter with your mother?" He asked as her hand stopped and she looked up at him.

"Er... nothing. What did Rachel tell you?"

He didn't answer just staring at her as she rolled her eyes.

"My mother is my mother, House" She said sighing "She just... met some old friends of hers and... you know how those things work. Jewish meddlers not interested in her Dean of Medicine daughter as soon as she's not married and with at least three kids. So she went out with one of her complaints and called me 'a moron' because I dumped the only man who proposed me." She rolled her eyes, then meeting House's eyes again "Rachel was so focused on playing with her dolls I really didn't think she was listening to us"

He didn't reply, looking at her as his fingers kept grazing her skin, slowly moving from her shoulder to her elbow.

"I'm not the marrying kind, Cuddy" He said all of a sudden, staring at her and stopping the hand which was caressing her arm as her lips clenched.

"And I'm not asking you to be that kind of man, House" She replied in a soft tone "I just want you being you... I love you being you" She pointed out with a half smile as the corner of his lips curled too.

He kissed her forehead again, holding her as she rested her head on his chest again. If she would have been an inch farer she wouldn't have heard the barely audible _'I love you'_ he whispered on her skin. But she heard it... and that was enough for her. She clung more to him, closing her eyes and just getting lost in his scent and in his caresses.

...

* * *

"Howse! Rachel's eyes brightened as she caught sight of him walking into the kitchen "Look what I've found in the cereal box"

He furrowed his eyebrows giving her a sort of glare.

"Hey, that's mine!" He said pointing to the cereal box "You had that bee-shaped eraser last week"

He kept back a smile as soon as she suddenly closed her fist, hiding the cereal surprise from his view glaring at him with a _Cuddy_ look.

She shook her head so vigorously that her pigtails almost slapped her cheeks.

"Mine" she repeated looking at the object on her palm "It's too small for you" she said again watching that shining golden plastic ring. A heart-shaped blue plastic stone on top.

She pouted as soon as he quickly stole it from her hand slipping it into his pinkie tip then stretching his arm to look at it in a very girlish way.

"See. It's perfect and it brings out the blue of my eyes" He said as she glared at him again.

They both looked at Cuddy as she quickly entered the kitchen, obviously late and in a rush, taking her keys and giving Rachel a hurried kiss on her head. She approached House and took his jaw, then kissing him on the lips lightly.

"Marina's gonna be right here to take Rach to school. Try to behave a few minutes, my big boy"

"Or mama is gonna spank my ass?" He whispered in a mischievous tone in her ear.

She just stared at him with a sly look, kissing him again and grabbing her purse, then almost running out of the room.

They both heard the door shutting closed and their eyes met again. His lips couldn't help but curl up and hers too.

"You look funny with that" she said smiling.

"Too girlish?"

She nodded vigorously.

"You can give it to mommy" She nonchalantly said putting a too full spoonful of cereal in her mouth as milk dropped from the corners of her mouth "A _gadget_ ring" She said with her mouth full.

"What?"

"A _gadget-men_ ring" She repeated looking at him "Like the one of Olivia's mom" she said shrugging and putting another spoonful on her mouth as House's mouth opened too.

 _What was that? Was it in female DNA? Well, probably yes!_

He just shook his head just to come back to reality, limping toward the coffee machine in an attempt of ignoring the subject, and possibly changing it.

"Howse?"

"Hhhmmm?" He just answered pouring some hot coffee in his cup and taking a sip that almost burned his tongue.

"What's an honowr-able woman?"

"What your Grandma isn't!" He replied, immediately biting his tongue as soon as he realized he had said it out loud, anyway taking a mental note of killing Arlene at the first occasion, if Cuddy was going to let him live enough.

He looked at Rachel as she stared at him, not upset at all by his words and probably just still considering what the meaning of that word was.

"I suppose it's because she's sad" She replied as House's eyes widened. _Since when did a three-year-old use to 'suppose' anything?_

"Grandma" She pointed out at his puzzled look, looking at him as that look turned in a pissed-off one.

 _Your grandma just needs to get laid and stop being a pain in the ass!_

He shook his head at the disgusting image that had appeared in his mind and just looked at the door _'Where the fuck was Marina?'_

"Er... why do you think she's sad, kiddo?"

She just shrugged, giving him a smile.

"Because Mommy doesn't care about that honowr-thing and Grandma does"

He couldn't help his eyebrows from raising, trying to follow the train of thought of that little brain.

"Mommy don't care because she's happy" She said again.

"Did she say that?"

"Nope" She answered as her pigtail swung again "She is!" She pointed out like a statement of facts "You make her laugh"

His lips parted at that simple and at the same time strong deduction. _Was she really not even a 3-year-old?_ Well, actually, sometimes adults could made _simple things_ difficult. _0-1 for the little one!_ The ring of the doorbell awaken him from that thought and he just looked at Rachel then limping out of the kitchen.

He watched Marina as she moved completely at ease in the kitchen despite his presence. Probably she was another of the women who preferred a Lucas kind of man to a guy like him. Not that he couldn't give a damn about it anyway.

"Say bye, Rachel" She said, taking her backpack and nodding toward House, still sit at the table.

He looked at Rachel as she waved him goodbye and just stared at her, allowing just the corner of his lips to curl up almost imperceptibly while Marina's gaze travelled from one of them to the other one. He watched the little girl disappearing beyond the door just to reappear a few seconds later. A _'Rachel c'mon, we're late'_ echoed from the hallway.

"If you don't need it, may I -?"

He rolled his eyes handing her the plastic ring as her smile grew bigger. She climbed quickly on his knees and hugged him as he gave her a quick hug in turn.

"C'mon," he whispered "or Marina's gonna freak out" he smirked as she kisses his cheek before he could see that coming.

She ran toward the door, waving him a warm goodbye as he smiled too this time.

 _'Rachel! Why you put on different shoes'_ He heard Marina asking Rachel as he could figure her rolling her eyes and Rachel probably shrugging.

 _'Oh, yes Honey, it's a very nice ring'_ He heard Marina again.

'It's an gadget-men ring'

'Engagment?' Marina corrected her as Rachel probably nodded vigorously with that look of her which was a clear _"and what have I just said?"_

'Aren't you too young for marriage, Honey?' Marina laughed as House heard the door opening.

'When I'm a big girl' he heard Rachel saying with her usual funny tone.

'¡Ay que mi niña se me ha enamorado!'*

He could figure Marina's eyes lighting up. The tone of her voice so surprised and amazed at the same time that she probably hadn't even noticed she had used her tongue language.

"A special guy, then?" She asked, not hiding the curiosity in her voice.

Their voices came from far as they exited the door, but not so far for him not to hear them.

His hand froze midair. His cup of coffee a few inch from his mouth as that only word echoed in the hallway together with the sound of the door getting shut closed.

'Howse'

* * *

 ** _._**

 ** _Hi to everyone! Sorry for the delay... I hope you liked it. See you soon!_**

 ** _Is there a little girl who doesn't want to marry her daddy? ;)_**

 ** _._**

* * *

*Oh! My little girl is in love!


	4. Smileys

**CHAPTER 4 - Smileys**

 **...**

* * *

"I have to go home. Marina chose the perfect timing to get sick and this means I have to take the snotty kid from school" House said in a flat but sarcastic tone, collecting his stuff and putting it in his backpack randomly, then looking up meeting Wilson's gaze.

"What?" He asked in a half-bored and half-annoyed tone as Wilson stared at him. A smirk playing on his lips.

"You're turning in the Dad of the year, House"

He rolled his eyes.

"I'm nobody's Dad!" He replied with an annoyed look, articulating every word and stretching that 'nobody', glaring at him.

Wilson raised both his hands still looking at him with a sort of sly and amused smile.

"Cut the shit, Wilson! You're turning into a smiley. Half way from the heart-shape-eyed one and the sly-smiled one."

Wilson didn't reply, just still looking at him with the same look and smile, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"I'm serious, Wilson. And it's not something good"

"What?" Wilson replied, still smiling "I'm just happy for you and Cuddy. And the kid. Maybe you two should even think about having a baby together."

House rolled his eyes again, then giving him a glare.

"Don't you dare to put that into her mind" He shot him another glare then looking down at his backpack seeking for the zipper.

"Why?" Wilson asked ignoring his way of trying to ignore him "Can you imagine a kid with both your genes? She's clever and smart and funny and, well, she's beautiful and sexy and-"

"Watch your mouth, Jimmy. It's my girlfriend you're talking about"

He didn't look up, still bustling about what looked like a jammed zipper.

"So, because she's your girlfriend, am I not allowed to think she has a gorgeous ass?"

House just looked up and stared at him.

"Fine, she doesn't have a gorgeous ass," Wilson said raising both his hands in defeat "and you're not an ass" he added, pointing his index finger toward him.

House stared at him as Wilson stared back.

"C'mon. You'll be late." He said, gesturing toward his backpack "Your girl is waiting for you"

House succeeded in zipping his backpack this time and looked up, glaring at his so-called friend again.

"My girl is in Florida" He specified "The one I have to take care of is just as much pain in the ass but without the gorgeous ass"

"Yeah, keep repeating that" Wilson smiled again, giving him a challenge look "I'm not buying it" He said with a teasing gaze "You're the master of excuses. You could have said no when she asked you of taking care of Rachel, but you didn't... And you didn't because actually you like being with that little girl."

"No. That's what happens when she asks me something during sex. You know, all I can do is to say _'Yes, Cuddy! More,Cuddy! YES, YES, YES, CUDDY'!"_

Wilson looked at him with a smile, nodding.

"Yeah" he said. "Keep repeating this, House!"

...

* * *

"I said no"

"Yes"

"No"

"Yes"

"No"

"Yes"

"I said, no, Rachel! You can eat what I'm gonna cook or not eating at all. None of my business. You're not gonna die because of 24 hours of fasting"

She pouted at him through the rear-view mirror.

"I want pizza." She said again, this time in what sound like a whisper as her voice cracked a little.

 _Shit!_

He didn't turn to look at her, nor looked at her through the rear-view mirror, just keeping to look at the road, trying to focus on it and not on the 3-year-old behind him.

 _How could she have that power on him?_

 _She was the child. He was the grown-up. Period._

They had eaten frozen pizza the evening before, and the one before that. Fine, he was for canned-food and frozen-food, and not at all for healthy food, but three times in a row were too much even for him.

 _Yeah, he was the boss here._ _He was in charge._

He looked at her through the rear-view mirror. She was still pouting, biting hard on her bottom lip, her irises trembling a little even if she wasn't crying.

 _I'm the boss. I'm in charge._ He repeated to himself. She's just a 3-year-old throwing a fit.  
Her eyes trembled more and she bit completely on her bottom lip, still staring at him.

 _Shit!_

Bossed even by the mini-one.

"Listen," he said in a softer tone "we can't eat frozen pizza everyday"

"Why?"

"Because... because you need to eat something healthy..."

 _Shit! I sound like Cuddy!_

She didn't reply, just staring at him with her big blue eyes.

"How is it that you're mother can have you eating broccoli and Brussels sprouts and I can't have you eating anything else than frozen pizza?" He asked again, glancing at her and focusing again his gaze on the road.

"Frozen pizza is funnier than broccoli" she simply said looking into his eyes through the rear-view mirror.

"Funnier?" He asked still looking in front of himself "Better. Tastier maybe. Why 'funny'?" He asked glancing at her this time.

"You make it funny"

 _Funny._ That was definitely a weird adjective when attributed to him. But... shit! _Hit and sank!_

"Really?" He asked a little taken aback by those words "Er, I mean... yes. Fine! You want funny pizza? You'll have funny pizza." He said turning right in the parking lot of the mall.

...

* * *

"Here!" House said putting the shopping bag on the table and starting to put into the fridge some of the contents, then putting a few boxes on the table.

"Here" he said again putting a bowl in front of Rachel as she knelt on the chair in order to gain a few inches "Flour. Yeast. Oil. Salt"

Rachel looked at him with a quizzical look.

"This isn't pizza" she hesitantly said looking down at that strange powder into the bowl and then up at him again "Sand?"

"No, it's not sand, Rach." He answered as the hint of a smile played on his lips "It's dried brewer's yeast."

"...y-east?" She repeated, looking down at it again.

"Saccharomyces Cerevis-, er... a sort of... little living things" He tried to explain as Rachel's eyes grew bigger "That's why..." he added handing her a teaspoon and the sugar bowl "...that's why you have to feed them"

Her eyes sparkled.

"Really?"

"Yeah!" He chuckled at the funny look on her face "C'mon. They're like you, they like sugar."  
He looked at her as she took a spoonful from the bowl. _Shit!_ _Was Wilson right?_

"Not too much" She said talking to the yeast "Sugar isn't good for your teeth and bellies" She said them with a serious gaze still looking the bowl content.

House couldn't help but laugh.

"You sound like your mother."

She didn't reply, just looking up at him and smiling.

"Here!" He said, handing her a glass of warm water.

"Their bath-time?"

"Sort of" he replied smiling "Not hot water or you're gonna kill them. Not cold either, or you're gonna freeze them and they won't do their job"

She stirred, then giving him a quizzically look again as House approached her with an apron and put it around her chest instead of her waist, then tying it on her back. His lips curled up as she looked down at that piece of fabric practically covering her feet. _A bit too long. Well, actually because she was too short_. Her eyes lit up as soon as House put his hand into the flour bag, then putting some into the bowl, gesturing her to do the same. _No way her mother ever allowed her to do that!_ Her little hand reached for the bag, sinking into it and then throwing a fistful into the bowl spreading a cloud of flour all around. All around... and on both of them. _Yeah, maybe there's a reason for not putting a bag of flour in the hands of a three-year-old!_ He took a mental note of cleaning after or better to invent a sort of cleaning game for Rachel. Calling Wilson for dinner was an option too, but for sure he wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of facing the proof he was right.

The corners of House's lips curled again as he watched Rachel pouting, in an attempt to blend that mix of water and flour. Her little fingers glued together with that sticky sort of dough. Her big eyes met his as he poured again some flour on her hands cleaning them with his, then quickly kneading the dough and cutting it in two pieces, finally handing one to her. The tip of her index finger examined it, sinking in the soft ball of dough one time and then another one, forming a pair of holes which look like a pair of eyes looking at her.

"It looks like you" She said looking at him. Her lips pressed together in a funny smile.

"It doesn't look like me at all. It looks like a ball of dough with two holes" He watched her as her head shook in a no "Here then!" he said sinking his finger in his own ball of dough creating a sort of smiling face "This is you. Yours doesn't have a mouth either"

He looked at her as she watched the "eyed" ball in front of her. It needed a curled up mouth to become a happy face or a curled down mouth to became a sad face. The second one fitted him more with no doubt. That way it was just an expressionless face. _Or... did she really see him like that? Inexpressive?_

She pressed her thumb on the ball, then watching the straight line that was supposed to be "his" mouth before looking up at him again.

"Nor happy nor sad then?" He said looking at her "What's that?"

"A smile"

He rolled his eyes.

"That's not a smile, Rach!"

"Yes, it is" She replied "You just can't see it" She said again.

 _Can you?_

He didn't said it out loud but a glint flashed in his eyes at that thought. He watched her eyes as they moved from his gaze to the straight line of his mouth.

"See?" She said locking eyes with him again "I can"

And he couldn't help the corners of his lips from curling up almost imperceptibly this time.

"Er... fine! C'mon, kiddo. I'm starving" He said reaching for both those smileys and placing them in a bowl again "Here! If you want pizza they need some time for rising"

"Ready for beddy-bye" He said, covering the bowl with a kitchen towel.

Rachel laughed, making him look up at her.

"You said beddy-bye" She said chuckling and looking at him with a funny look, pointing a finger toward him.

"I didn't" He replied glaring at her.

 _Did I?_

"Yes you did!" She said laughing again at the way the straight line of his mouth curled up again almost imperceptibly. Almost.

...

Two hours later, and Rachel's bath later, the two little balls of dough had grown bigger.

"Whoa! Is it a magic?"

"It's chemistry. Leavening is a chemical process in which glucose is transformed in carbon dioxide and -" He stopped, looking at her big blue eyes "Er, yeasts are alive. They eat sugar and make er... gas which leavens dough".

She looked at him with a quizzical look.

"They make gas?" She asked "Like a fart?"

House laughed loud this time.

"My College teacher is now turning in his grave but," He said laughing again and running both his hand on his face "sort of, Rach. Sort of"

...

His phone rang and he swallowed, then putting on his plate the slice of pizza in his hand and reaching for the phone, glancing at the ID, then handing it to Rachel.

"Hello? " She said with her mouth still full of pizza.

Cuddy smiled at the bare sound of her daughter's voice."Hi, Honey. What are you eating?"

"Pizza!" she replied with her usual enthusiasm.

House couldn't see Cuddy's gaze obviously but anyway he knew that she had rolled her eyes.

"You know, Mom? Yeasts eat sugar and the dough grows bigger and bigger because of their farts." She said just whispering the last word since she was not allowed to say bad words "It's the best pizza in the wowld!"

Cuddy couldn't help but smile.

"Put House on the phone, Sweetie, please"

"Hi, Honey" he said in an ironic tone.

"Hi, sweetheart" She replied with the same tone, as he could sense her smile "Did you really cook home-made pizza for her?"

"Well, actually she cooked it. And for the record it's House-made pizza"

"Yeah" She laughed again. "Thank you" She whispered in a soft tone as he pictured her biting on her lower lip.

"Get your ass over here so you can thank me like you mean it" He said in a teasing tone, looking at Rachel, too focused on trying to eat the spun mozzarella of her slice of pizza to pay attention to them.

"Actually I don't know if I really have to thank you. She ate pizza three times in a row and it's one hour past her bed time" Cuddy pointed out in turn in a teasing tone "But maybe if you cook _House-made_ pizza for me too -" She let the sentence hanging and a smile played on his lips as he could sense hers.

"No pizza. Only fresh meat for you, Cuddy" He said in a so naughty tone than she couldn't help but roll her eyes and bite her lower lip at the same time.

"I'm a vegetarian" She replied in a flat but teasing tone.

"Not when it matters, baby" He replied in turn as she closed her eyes and ran her tongue on her lips fighting a smile even if he couldn't see it.

He waited for a sharp reply that didn't come and what came took him off guard instead.

"I love you, you know?" She whispered as a smile played on his lips.

"Mh-mh" He replied as a sort of laugh echoed from the other end of the line.

"You can't say it back on the phone, right?" She asked, smiling at the way in which his boldness sometimes faded out in front of that simple sentence.

"Do you love me, House?" She asked, teasing him as again he didn't answer.

She just listened at the silence coming from the other end of the line and smiled as she could figure him running his tongue on his lips.

"You know I can read you, right?" She teased again as a smile played on his lips too.

"You just get that gorgeous ass of yours over here" he said again.

"Yeah" She said in a soft tone "See you tomorrow, House"

He nodded. _See you in fifteen hours and forty minutes, Cuddy._

"Good night Cuddy" He just said in turn in a soft tone that was enough to melt her.

"House?"

She called him before he hung up.

"Mmmhhh?"

"You know Professor Doyle is turning in his grave right now, don't you?" She said smiling as he smiled in turn.


	5. Kicking asses

**CHAPTER 5 - Kicking asses**

 **...**

* * *

"Then, kiddo? Have you decided your birthday gift yet?" House said taking a sip of his coffee and looking at Rachel over the rim of his cup as she looked up from her cereal bowl "I still suggest the X-box we saw at the mall last week"

"It's her birthday House, not yours" Cuddy laughed, standing up for putting her empty cup in the sink and ruffling Rachel's hair as she yawned and sleepily rubbed her eyes with her fists.

Cuddy turned to House giving him a glare.

"Did you two watch cartoons in the middle of the night again?" She asked as she rose both eyebrows at the slight smile which curled up one of the corners of his lips.

"Nope" He just replied shaking his head, still staring at her as she sighed loudly.

Her eyes grew bigger and her eyebrows rose somehow even more as she tilted her head by side slightly and crossed her arms in front of her chest, in what was without any doubt a 'I'm not buying this, House!'

He chuckled and shook his head again, raising both his arms.

"It's not a lie" He said "You asked if we watched cartoons last night. We didn't. Right, Rachel?" He said gesturing toward the child as she moved her head up and down showily.

He gave Cuddy a _'See?'_ look as her gaze moved from House to her daughter.

"Right" Rachel repeated, still nodding and holding her mom's gaze, then giving her a funny smile "Played Mario" She added as House rolled his eyes then running a hand on his face in defeat.

"You know she needs her sleep" She said in an exasperated tone "Even more when the day after it's not Sunday" She said sighing at what she already knew was a lost cause.

"Don't blame me" He said with another chuckle that irritated her even more "I just fell asleep on your couch. She woke me up!"

She rolled her eyes glaring at him again, then turning to the sink and ignoring him as he stood up and approached her. She didn't turn as he wrapped her waist slightly from behind but she didn't push him away and her shoulders didn't stiff. He smiled to himself and brushed his lips on her hair, giving her more a sort of caress than a kiss. And her head tilted back almost imperceptibly. Almost.

"Next time remember me to kick you out of here before midnight, Cinderella" She whispered in a dry tone despite the way in which her neck bent as soon as his lips moved on the back of her ear.

"You're pissed off because I cuddled the wrong Cuddy last night" He whispered in turn as she clearly savoured that kiss this time. His lips still on her skin until she turned her head to look into his eyes, glaring at him again "Lack of sex makes you nervous"

"I'm not pissed off because of that, you idiot" She said turning completely to face him "Actually I'm not pissed off at all"

He chuckled again.

"Oh, you are, believe me!" He said in a teasing tone as he put his hand on her hip, ignoring her slight try to push him away and then drawing her in his arms.

 _Damn! How could he know her so well?_ It was almost more irritating than the reason because of which she was irritated. And actually... why was she irritated? Because did he teach Rachel how to broke rules? Or because he let her break rules? She said no, he said yes. She hid candies, he secretly showed her where to find them. She gave rules, he taught her that sometimes rules can be broken. Actually wasn't it what happened in every family? She was the authoritative and pain in the ass mom, he was the funny and playful da-

She bit her lip at that thought and just hide her head in the crook of his neck, sighing as he stroked her shoulders.

Yeah, she was pissed off, but not because of him. For sure not for one night without sex. And not because he had let Rachel to play videogames actually. Well, maybe a little pissed off for that, but not that much at least. She slightly smiled against his skin as the recall of that ' _You're pissed off because I cuddled the wrong Cuddy last night'._ Well, partially he was right. She had missed his caresses. Falling asleep in his arms, lulled by the sound of his breath. The warmth of his body next to hers.

Even if they didn't live together in the real meaning of that word she was getting used to fall asleep with him and to wake up with him in her bed. So, yeah, he was right again. She was pissed off because he cuddled the wrong Cuddy last night. And at the same time she melted at that bare thought.

She put her arms around his shoulders and kissed the side of his neck, them raising her head and looking at him as she softly kissed his lips and a little smile played on the mouth of both of them.

She turned to Rachel looking at her as she put a too large spoonful of cereal and milk in her mouth.

"So? What would you like for your birthday, Honey?"

She looked up from her bowl and looked at House before looking at her mother.

"Sam's mom says he can have whatever he wants. She says a boy doesn't turn 3 every day"

"Yeah," House chuckled, answering in place of Cuddy "but with _'whatever'_ I'm sure she wasn't referring to that pony we saw at the stables, Rach " He said, laughing and gesturing for a quotation sign with his fingers on the word 'whatever' "There's not enough room for him here. And do you remember his poo? You don't want mommy driving crazy because he poops on the carpet, right?" He added, pouring some coffee in his cup again, and taking a sip.

Rachel nodded showily and laughed at the same time. _Why did she find poo and pee so funny lately?_

"Ok" She said "Then can I have a little sister?" She asked sincerely as House almost choked and Cuddy watched the dangerous moving of the black liquid in the cup as he almost spilled it on his T-shirt.

"Er... that's not... er..."

Cuddy struggled finding words, still looking at his hand and somehow voluntary avoiding his eyes for help.

"Oh, I-...,"

 _Shit!_ She could feel his eyes on herself...

"Er... your birthday is in a week, Honey. There's no way you can have a sister in one week" Cuddy said, trying to give Rachel a convincing look that she clearly didn't buy.

"Mary has a sister, Joanna has a sister, Martha has a little brother, why can't I have a little sister too?" Rachel replied, pouting at her mother and crossing her arms in front of her chest like she had done with House just a few minutes earlier.

"Because..."

"Because your mom is too old for that, Rach" He answered in her place, this time meeting Cuddy's eyes as she turned and gave him a glare "And I'm pretty sure those things poop too. A lot" He said in a cheerful tone looking at Rachel, in an attempt of playing things down.

Cuddy's eyes locked with his for a second before she looked down, then looking up at Rachel.

"Er, not a little sister but... what about that crying, eating, sleeping, peeing doll?" She said, approaching Rachel and lifting her in her arms "What's her name?"

"Bitty baby"

"Yeah. Bitty baby" Cuddy repeated lightly touching her child's cheek "You can play mommy and we can buy her a crib and a stroller and-"

"Diapers?"

Cuddy nodded and smiled at Rachel's big smile. She put her arms around her neck and rested her head on her mother's shoulder as Cuddy kissed her forehead. And House just looked at the two of them as they exited the room.

...

* * *

She heard him coming, but she didn't turned to look at him, still looking at herself in the mirror and finishing clasping her bra.

"Still mad at me?" He asked, stopping a few steps from her.

"Glad you still have your observation skill" She replied in a dry tone, again not turning to meet his gaze.

"Why? Do you... want a baby?" He asked as she turned to face him this time.

"No. But don't make it sound like it's my fault in front of her, House. And for the record, I'm not that old" She pointed out as one corner of his lips curled up a bit.

"I know you're not" He said approaching her "She just took me aback. What was I supposed to say?"

He opened his arms, shaking his head.

"Nothing. That we'll buy her that Bitty-something" She replied, shaking her head in turn and turning again to face the mirror, opening a drawer and taking a blue blouse from it "She's 3 years old. She'll forget about the sister as soon as she has a doll to feed, cuddle and play with. The best part without having to share with her the attention of her parents"

She bit her lip on that last word, locking eyes with House for a sign of tension. He just stared at her. There was a chance he wasn't paying attention to her words. And for once it would be something good.

House watched her as she looked away from him and closed the drawer, then putting on that blouse.

"Do you want a baby?" He asked again as her hands stopped from zipping her skirt.

"Don't freak out House! She said, finishing to close the zipper and looking at him through the mirror "She already forgot that. I promised her we'll go to the mall tomorrow to buy the doll and all its stuff"

"Not what I asked you" He said still staring at her image.

"What?"

She turned, locking eyes with him again.

"I said... do YOU want a baby?"

She stared at him then shaking her head.

"And I said _'don't freak out', House'._ Please _,_ can we talk about this later?"  
 _Or maybe never?_ She asked smoothing her skirt with both hands and glancing to herself in the mirror "I'm late"

He smiled slightly and licked his lips.

"Marina is taking Rachel at school and your first meeting is at 9. You're not late, Cuddy" He said, making two steps toward her as instead she took a few steps away from him, looking for her earrings on the nightstand and beginning to put one into her lobe.

"Yeah, but I need to check my report before of that. I found a lack in the drugs registration and, you know, I already had to deal with a bitch who tried to screw me last year... and I'm not making the same mistake twice. I need to-"

"-relax" He said as his hand found her hip, gently pulling her toward him and stroking her just with his thumb.

"I meant '-check my report'" she pointed out instead despite the slight and soft smile which appeared on her lips.

He ignored her words and just drew her closer, making her aware of his partial erection now pressing against her butt. He wrapped both arms around her waist and his lips found the skin behind her ear, kissing her lightly.

"House... no" She tried, bending her neck toward him for preventing him from kissing her.

He just ignored her and his hands travelled from her waist to the hem on her skirt, lifting it a little before her hand slapped his.

"I said no" She said again, anyway not really pushing him away "I'm late. Still mad at you. And the last thing I need is being even more frustrated" She added in a firm tone.

"I can fix the last two" He replied giving her a very mischievous look as his hand stroked her thigh.

"So I will be even later" She said glaring at him through the mirror.

"I just need three minutes" He whispered as his teeth grazed her lobe and his hand moved deeper under her skirt.

"To leave me even later, madder at you and more frustrated?" She teased in turn, resting her nape against his chest as one on his hands slipped into the neckline of her blouse and the other one cupped her sex.

"How long have you known me for?" He asked looking at her image in the mirror as her eyes closed and her lips parted at the sensation of his fingers on her.

She tried to open her eyes to look at him but she couldn't, and just gasped as soon as he moved deeper inside her. His fingers, his lips... there was anything else. No meetings, no reports... He steadied her against his chest as soon her legs trembled but didn't stop his ministration, then closing his eyes and just listening to her breathing, kissing her hair as she relaxed in his arms.

He smiled as she chuckled and opened her eyes meeting his in the mirror, then turning to face him, finding his lips and caressing his hair.

"You're gonna be late" He said on her lips as one of her hands found the buckle of his belt.

"So now you're the frustrated one?" She asked in a half teasing half guilty tone.

"I'll survive," He said kissing her lips "till noon"

He met her glare and couldn't help but chuckle "Fine, till tonight" he rectified as she smiled in turn, biting her lip.

"I love you" Cuddy whispered on his lips as he stared at her.

"Go and kick asses, baby" He smiled, kissing her forehead.

...

* * *

"Er... Dr. Cuddy is in a meeting. But you can tell me"

House moved his good leg from Cuddy's desk, holding the phone receiver between his ear and shoulder as his hands reached for his bad leg. Maybe for once it would be better if he wasn't always snooping around in her office. He had thought about not answering as the phone rang and rang disturbing his intrusion in Cuddy's privacy. Why didn't she keep a journal anymore? She used to write it during her relationship with Lucas. Well, not that he needed to read that to know what a shitty lover he was, but... Why wasn't she writing it anymore? And how could he know what was in her mind now? Well, he could read her... almost every time. And that 'almost' was what was driving him crazy.

He ran his fingers on his forehead, still listening to the boring voice at the other end of the line. Why hadn't he just let it ring? He glanced at his watch, sighing. Yeah, because he knew that ID. Rachel's school.

Anyway, he needed to discuss with Cuddy the choice of that school for the kid. Well, not now. Maybe when he was going to admit he cares about her. How could someone with a so boring voice to inspire and motivate the mind of a three-year-old? And... why did he care about that? She wasn't his child and -

 _Shit!_ What if she really wanted a baby? A child with half his genes... _Shit!_

Well, she had said _no_. A clear, firm, sure _no_.

But... had she just said him what he wanted to hear? Because, well, yeah, he didn't want children. He wasn't a father. Wasn't he, right? He wasn't Rachel's father. He just was... the man in her and her mother's life. And it was a completely different thing! He was a sort of playmate. No responsibilities. No duties. He didn't have to do all the responsible things a father is supposed to do. Right? He wasn't supposed to be caring and supportive and protective and all that fatherly stuff.

Having a baby with her would be completely different.

And... was that the reason for which she said no, then? Because _she_ thought he couldn't father a child? Because-

"What?"

He suddenly straighten his back, opening his eyes as his fingers stopped on his forehead.

"Yeah. I'll be right there"

...

He spotted Rachel as soon as he entered the door. Sitting on a chair, looking at her own knees as her legs swung, rhythmically moving back and forth, appearing and disappearing under the chair. She looked up, meeting his gaze and pouted.

"Good afternoon, Dr. House" The teacher greeted him, looking at him from head to toe and reaching for his hand "I'm sorry I called you here but I couldn't reach Dr. Cuddy and I really need to talk to one of Rachel's parents"

She ignored the look on House's face on her last word and just went on.

"Rachel is a good child, always so caring and nice with everyone so, well this behavior is not normal from her. Punching another child is -"

She let the sentence hanging as House's eyes moved from hers to Rachel, focusing on the purple bruise on her cheek.

"She was punched too" He said in a firm tone locking eyes with the teacher as she almost startled at the mix of his voice and piercing gaze.

"Yes. But it looks like she was the one who started the fight. And it's weird, even more because David is two years older than her. They were bickering about something. A drawing I think. I suppose he took that from her and she tried to have it back. When he pushed her, she punched him and he punched back. I don't know what really happened but, you know, words and violence are two different things and-"

House stopped listening her. Actually he stopped _hearing_ her. Her voice now just a sound in the background. Of course she had to do her speech but he couldn't give a damn about it! And...

 _What the hell! Is this what you mean for 'she was the one starting the fight'? That asshole bullied her and she was just supposed to stay there, being bossed around? Turning the other cheek? She's not even a Christian, so please don't give me that shit! She had to give that asshole two black eyes, not just one! And if that jerk is gonna rise just only a finger on her again, I'm going to be sure he has no finger to rise anymore!_

That was what he thought, biting his tongue so hard he almost hurt himself. His piercing blue eyes staring intently at the old lady in front of him wrapped in a pink wool jumper.

Instead... he just nodded.

"It won't happen again." He said in his best diplomatic tone. One of which Cuddy would have been proud. Despite his girlfriend wouldn't have been so naive to buy it. "Right, Rach?"

She nodded, biting her lip and not looking up from her shoes.

...

Cuddy looked at Rachel and then at House as they entered the door.

"What's happened?" She asked as she moved toward Rachel failing in reaching her as House's hand took her arm, stopping her as Rachel walked toward the coach, looking at the floor.

She gave him a questioning and annoyed look at the same time, looking at his hand holding her arm and then again into his eyes.

"Nothing serious. She fell at the park"

She looked at her daughter and then again at House.

"On the fist of someone?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You never know where you're gonna bump when you fell" He nonchalantly replied giving her a piercing look.

"Yeah" She just answered, trapping her lip between her teeth as she watched House taking off his jacket and walking toward the kitchen.

"House?"

He turned to look at her and sighed.

"She punched an asshole," He said as Cuddy's eyes opened and she turned her head to glance at her daughter before looking at House again.

"Leave her alone. You'll have time for the inquisition" He said as her jaw clenched slightly.

"Leave her alone, Cuddy," he repeated "she didn't want to tell me what really happened but the kid never raised her hands on someone. You know I'm not for violence but maybe she had a good reason"

"There's never a good reason to punch someone, House"

"Yeah. But I'm sure he'll think twice before trying to bother or touch her next time"

Cuddy stared at him.

"Did you said that to Rachel?"

"I said next time she has to tell us if someone bother her"

She smiled slightly at that _us._

"I'm proud of you" She said, reaching for him and caressing his stubble.

"Don't," He replied looking straight into her eyes as hers widened a little "I said she has to tell us if someone bother her and I'll make them unable to hurt anyone else"

She bit her lip, but she couldn't prevent the smile which played on her lips as she slightly nodded.

"I'm proud of you" She repeated, caressing his stubble again and finding his lips in a light kiss.

...

* * *

Cuddy looked up from her cup, glancing at Rachel and then at the clock on the wall as another knock hit the wood of her front door. Marina wasn't going to be there for another half an hour, and she usually used to ring the doorbell. She looked at the door as she approached it. Wood against wood. It could be only one person. And he had the key.

"What are you doing here?" She asked as her eyes widened as soon as they met his.

"Good morning to you too, sunshine" he replied as the corner of her lips curled up in the hint of a smile.

"Morning" She replied as this time that smile played fully on her lips "I just... you never-"

"- come here so early?" He said in her place as she nodded.

"Right" He added, answering to his own question "Unless you still own me something after yesterday morning" He said, giving her a very mischievous smile as she just stared at him, running her tongue on her lips.

"Not my fault if you choose Wilson last night, House" She replied as an amused smile played on his lips.

He didn't answer, just wrapping her waist with an arm and finding her lips as she kissed back.

"So?" She asked as they lips parted "Why are you here?"

"Is Rachel ready?" He asked glancing over her shoulder "Marina had a hitch. I'll take the kid to school"

Cuddy's eyes widened.

"Marina had -?" She asked, repeating his words.

"She called me. You have a meeting at 8.00. I'll take Rachel to school"

Her eyes widened even more as she raised both her eyebrows, licking her lips.

" _She_ called _you_?" She asked in a rhetorical way "and... how do you know my meeting is been moved up at 8?" She asked again as he just stared at her.

"Do you want me to take your daughter at school or not?" He asked still staring at her as she just nodded, letting him come in and closing the door.

...

"Don't you want to tell me what's happened yesterday?" House asked glancing at Rachel through the rear-mirror.

She shook her head, looking out of the window.

"I'm not gonna be mad. I'm not gonna punish you. Nor your mom. Why are you afraid of me?" He tried again, turning in the parking lot in front of the school and taking off his seatbelt before getting out the car and opening her door to unbuckle hers.

"Do you like him?" He asked as she gave him a questioning look.

"I don't" She replied "He teases me. I yell to him. All the time"

His lips curled up a bit. _Shit! He had already seen that somewhere!_

"Well, maybe that David likes you"

She shook her head.

"He stole my drawing. Made fun of me. I don't like him" She said again as her eyes misted a little this time.

"Hey," He said lifting her chin "It was just a drawing. You can make another one"

She just nodded, not looking at him, getting out of the car just looking at the ground as they approached the gate.

"What did you draw?" He asked looking down at her.

"Mrs Smith said 'draw your house'..." She said not looking up and kicking a little stone with the tip of her shoe.

 _Shit!_ He fought back a chuckle, looking up at the sky for a second, then looking down at her again. Her eyes still focused on the ground.

"Did you draw me?" He asked as she nodded.

He took her hand and just held it in his as they approached the playground in front of the school. Her grip tightened and she stopped, making him look at her as she practically hid behind his legs.

He didn't need to ask. How many 5-year-old with a black eye could she be afraid of? Blue eyes and blonde hair. He looked somehow like a mini version of Chase. Definitely not like a dangerous guy. And not at all like the mama-boy he had pictured in his own mind.

He looked down as soon as House passed next to him, leading Rachel to her class.

"May I?" House asked, pointing at the empty spot next to him on the bench as he just nodded.

"I'm sorry, Sir" He whispered before House spoke.

He just nodded in turn.

"You hit a girl two size smaller than you. Not to mention half your age" He said in a firm tone looking at him as he bowed his head again "But I can see she has a good hook too" He added as the corner of his lips curled up and the child looked up at him, nodding as the hint of a smile played on his lips too.

"She's cool" He whispered, then looking down again as House bit his lip to hold back a chuckle.

 _Yeah, she is._

"So? Why where you two bickering?"

He just shrugged, shaking his head.

"We have to draw an house. She drew her dad"

"How did you know it was her dad?" House asked raising an eyebrow as the boy just shrugged again and pointed to his cane and handing him a folded paper.

"And what did you say?"

"Nothing, Sir. I swear" He said, shaking his head "I told her that wasn't an house. She said it was. And that she and her mom have an house. I just told her everybody have an house. And she punched me"

House struggled to hold back that chuckle and just ran a hand on his face nodding. He looked at that paper. A big circle with eyes and mouth, and long long thin legs and arms. And another line hanging from the little circle that was his hand. A tall man with a cane. Maybe not her father, but for sure _her House._

...

* * *

"Do you like Chase?" House asked wrapping Cuddy's waist from behind as she turned to look at him.

"Er... he's handsome. Not my kind of man, anyway" She replied with a smile caressing his stubble as he watched her lips "Why are you asking?"

"Because his double could be your son-in-law in... twenty years, maybe thirty"

Cuddy gave him a questioning look.

"I talked to that David this morning. It looks like it's impossible not having hots for the Cuddy girls"

Her eyes widened and she gave him an even more questioning look.

"What did he say?"

"That he teases her to have her attention. Well, actually the right words were 'I tease her, she yells and then we play together"

Cuddy licked her lips as a teasing look lit her eyes.

"He punched her, House" She said, trying to be serious as he held her closer.

He tilted his head by side and gave her a mischievous look, in turn running his tongue on her lips.

"The only way they know now to free the tension"

She smiled as his hand slipped under her nightie to cup her buttock.

"So? Are you going to punch me now?" She asked in a flirtatious tone as his other hand moved in her hair.

He smiled, looking at her mouth and then at her eyes again as his lips found hers.

"... to play with you" He whispered on her mouth with a teasing look as she smiled in turn.


	6. Big Bad Wolf

**CHAPTER 6 - Big Bad Wolf**

 **...**

* * *

"Who is it?"

House smiled as soon as he heard Rachel's voice at the other side of the wooden door. She wasn't allowed to open the door to strangers. Actually she wasn't allowed to open the door to anyone, but he could tell Cuddy already knew who was the one knocking with a cane on her front door, even if he was unexpected.

"THE BIG BAD WOLF" He answered in a deep voice, looking at the door as he heard it opening anyway and trying to avoid one of the corners of his lips from curling up as two big blue eyes met his.

"RACHEL!" Cuddy shouted from behind the child, making House look up at her standing down the hallway "You're not supposed to open the door to a Big Bad Wolf who wants you to be his dinner" She said in a serious tone as instead Rachel replied just giving her mother a big smile.

"It's not a wolf. It's Howse" She said turning to look at him again as he bent down to whisper something in her ear.

Cuddy's eyebrows lifted in a puzzled look as her daughter chuckled, writhing as House's finger tickled her belly but not really trying to escape. She glanced at her mother and chuckled louder, then giving to House a conspiratorial look. Something told Cuddy she wasn't chuckling just because of the tickling.

"C'mon, Red Riding Hood," Cuddy said letting a smile play on her lips "Let the Bad Wolf to come in"

Her smile grew wider as her eyes followed Rachel's skipping toward the living room.

"You forgot the _'big'..._ " He said giving her a very mischievous look as his arm wrapped her waist drawing her closer so his lips found the side of her neck. "You know? You are the one who shouldn't let ravenous big bad wolves to come in" he whispered as his teeth grazed her skin just a second before his mouth sucked on it, not enough to let a mark but enough to make her moan.

She laughed to hide the sound of pleasure escaped from her mouth and slapped his shoulder lightly, looking into his eyes as he locked eyes with her with a grin.

"Is this what you just told Rachel?" She asked as his head moved in a 'more or less' way.

"I said her little buttocks can be at most an appetizer for a bad wolf. Yours instead -" He didn't finished the sentence, replaced instead by an _'ouch'_ as her glare met his amused look.

He just held her tighter, looking into her eyes until her glare faded out and she looked away, sighting, then looking at him again.

"Aren't you gonna go out with Wilson, tonight?" She asked putting again her arms around his neck.

"I am" he replied, finding her lips in a quick kiss and still looking into her eyes as they clearly asked him a silent _'So why are you here?'_

"Did I leave my black Rolling Stones T-shirt here?" He asked as she gave him a more questioning look "It's a good-luck T-shirt" He pointed out like that would have to be a plausible answer and she raised both eyebrows.

Yeah, that definitely didn't sound like him. Hearing himself talking about good-luck shirts was as credible as hearing himself chanting prayers and he couldn't help but let out a laugh and shake his head in front of the expression on her face. Superstition didn't fit it at all.

"Poker game," He laughed again "you know Wilson. He's such a girl sometimes"

Cuddy held his gaze, nodding as a smile appeared on her lips too. She patted his shoulder, trapping her lower lip between her teeth and smiling again, then turning and walking toward the bedroom, trying her best not to give her hips an extra swing as she could almost feel his eyes looking at her bottom.

She came back a few seconds later, holding a creased T-shirt in one hand as her look immediately caught sight of his legs stretched on the coffee table. Her eyes moved from the dirty shoes he hadn't bother to remove to the little feet in his lap, and she couldn't help but smile as the look on her face softened. Just for a second. Till he pushed the remote key to change the channel, exchanging another conspiratorial look with Rachel as she clapped her hands.

"Look!" She chucked, making a face at the same time "Oggy got burned"

They looked at each other and then again at the screen as the cockroaches bent over with laugher and a burned and fumy Oggy unzipped his now black and blue skin like it was a footy pajamas and stepped out of it, standing there in his underwear.

"Yeah! Look, Rach, now he -"

He turned to Cuddy as she stole the remote from his hand replacing it with his crumpled shirt, giving him a glare as _"Oggy and the cockroaches"_ disappeared just to be replaced by _"The Teletubbies"_

"Wha-! Oh c'mon! You'd be kidding!"

"Don't you have a poker game waiting for you?" She replied raising both eyebrows and staring at him as he stared back.

He just stood up, taking off the dark green T-shirt he wore and ignoring her eyes as they instinctively moved from his chest to his abdomen muscles before the Rolling Stones hid them.

"Stay!" Rachel almost shouted with a pout, gripping the hem of his T-shirt as he looked down at her.

"Can't," He replied shaking his head as an unfamiliar feeling tickled his stomach at the look in those expecting eyes "do you know what will happen to Wilson if I'm not there, don't you?"

"He'll be in his undewwear like Oggy!" She promptly answered popping up on her knees as her eyes lit up and she chuckled at the image which come into her mind.

House let out a laugh and nodded, taking the cane he had left near the sofa then walking to the door.

He stopped as he passed near the bookcase, reaching for a folded paper on one of the shelves.

"Did you really use your real name?" He asked looking up from the paper as she rolled her eyes "I spent half an hour trying to anagram your name in something better than Cali Dusdy" he said as she gave him an amused look.

"So maybe you should stop thinking there's some complot behind your back and just ask me" She said taking the paper from his hand "It's nothing more than my annual blood test. That's why you knew about it. Because I'm boring and predictable," she said patting his shoulder "and I'm fine. Not sick. Not dying. Unless you're planning to murder me -"

"Something that could happen if you try to make me watch Teletubbies again " He interrupted her, making her laugh this time and nodding.

"Fine. I don't" She smiled again, putting her arms around his neck and seeking his lips as instead he slightly turned his head to take again the paper from her hand gaining a roll of eyes from her and a sigh.

"Am I ok, Dr. House?" She asked with an annoyed look "You know, I'm just the Dean of Medicine, I obviously can't read my test results by myself" She added in a bothered tone running her tongue on her lips.

"Just checking you haven't a contagious disease," He replied with a mischievous look "the last thing I want is to wear a co-"

He stopped, meeting Rachel's big eyes over Cuddy's shoulders.

"C-coat. Raincoat" He swallowed meeting Cuddy's now amused look and then the mini-Cuddy's one again.

"It's not raining, silly" Rachel said chuckling, just nonchalantly passing near them.

"Er... I'd better go" He said again this time quickly kissing her lips and heading to the door.

"Howse?"

He turned quickly enough to see Rachel's head popped out like Jack in the box from the living room jamb.

"Mommy made cake. You coming for breakfast tomowow?"

"Sure" He replied as the corners of his lips curled up "She knows how much I love her _cake_ " He said giving to the older Cuddy a very naughty look before exiting the door.

...

* * *

 _Stop thinking! Stop turning insignificant things into clues! Why does everything have to be a puzzle? Maybe because she never missed a chance to remind you she is the responsible adult in front of the child? Or because of that fucking blood test? Or... Fuck, Greg, you're getting paranoid! But, why on earth didn't she even -_

"What's up?"

House looked up from his cards and tossed them on the table, ignoring Wilson's words and taking a sip of his beer directly from the bottle, looking at Wilson and then at the two guys around the table. They looked at each other as one of them tossed his cards on House's and the other one placed instead them on the table with a grin, showing a two-pair, seven and jack.

Wilson sighed, tossing his cards on the table and raising both hands in defeat, looking at the guys as they collect the money and then at his friend, whose gaze was still focused on the neck of the bottle in front of him, lost in his thoughts. Bad ones according to the expression on his face. He watched him as he stood up, his beer in one hand, and let himself fall on the leather sofa, just nodding at the two guys and raising his beer in a sort of greeting as they exited his apartment.

"Are you kidding me? A set?" Wilson asked turning the cards House has tossed on the table as he ignored him, watching the dark screen of his TV.

"You ok?" He asked with a serious look, sitting next to him and looking for the remote.

"Leg" He just replied, not turning to look at his friend as he could feel his worried look on himself anyway.

He closed his eyes resting his nape against the sofa back, ignoring Wilson's voice again till it became just a noise in the background. He was not in the mood for his questions nor for his advices. He knew too well what was bothering his leg and it was a classic.

 _'No.'_

How could two letters have such a power?

 _'Don't freak out, House.'_

 _Shit, Greg. You did instead. Just... for the opposite reason!_

The more he tried not to think about it, the more it yelled in his mind. And no, he was not in the mood for a talk. For someone reminding him why a woman couldn't consider him reliable enough to have a child with him.

Well, she hadn't used those exact words... no, she hadn't used words at all instead. That was it! She had completely avoided the subject.

Wasn't it obvious what was the reason for which she had so quickly dumped his question that day?

Not reliable. Former addict. Former? Can an addict become a former addict? Because it didn't matter how hard he tried, he was still an addict at her eyes. And a not reliable addict can't be a father. That was the reason for which she didn't even consider the idea of a child with him. He could be at most a playmate for the rugrat. Maybe a babysitter. Not a father.

 _Good! Because you don't want to be a father!_

But...

Why Rachel's request was still bothering him? And why was it still bothering him and not her? Hadn't it awakened in her some sort of maternal instinct?

Why was he still thinking about it and she wasn't?

Because, that it was. She wasn't thinking about it at all! Otherwise, why someone as anal as her would have had a blood test not checking their hormones levels too? Just to check she wasn't really run out of time before giving them a chance.

 _Fuck, Greg!_ What is this? Do you really want a baby? C'mon! Rachel was in the package. No choice. Do you really want an eternal bond with her? Because no matter what is going to be of the two of them... a child will always be theirs. Wanting a baby together was a promise. A commitment. A -

"It's late. I'm going home. Do you need something?"

He just opened his eyes and shook his head as Wilson stood up and left, leaving him alone with his ghosts.

...

* * *

"Morning"

He didn't turn to look at her, just turning his head as soon as she stopped near him in front of the pharmacy counter. Nothing unexpected since he had heard the ticking of her heels approaching and had just decided to ignore it.

"I thought you was gonna come by last night" She said, glancing at the pharmacist bent on a drawer and focused on filling the orange bottle as House's eyes moved instead to her fingers, fidgeting with the bracelet on her wrist, and just stayed there till they stopped and her arm fell along her side.

"It was late"

She just nodded, biting her lip almost imperceptibly as soon as his gaze met hers again just for a second. She watched his hand reaching for the orange bottle and quickly open the lid, as three white pills fell in the palm of his hand.

"That bad?"

He just stared at her before his lips parted in which was probably going to be one of his sarcastic reply. Instead he suddenly shut his eyes closed and almost lost his balance, leaning on the counter as a sharp pain ran along his leg. A choked 'FUCK!' found somehow a way through his clenched jaw as Cuddy's hands reached for his arm and they both looked down at his leg and at what had just crashed against it.

"RACHEL! I told you to wait in my office!" Cuddy said just glancing at her as her worried eyes moved on House's face again. Her hand still holding his arm as his hand gripped his leg.

"I'm sorry. She just wanted to -"

"Take her away!" He said among clenched teeth in a so sharp tone that Rachel's little arms wrapped her mother's leg.

He didn't look down at the child, nor at Cuddy and just reached again for the orange bottle which had rolled along the desk.

"House" She warned him before he had the time to open the lid again.

He didn't open it and just glared at her, leaving the bottle on the counter as he reached instead for his cane.

"Do you want to help? Mix it with Vicodin. Or you can take it. I don't know what to do with it!"

Her lips parted but she didn't reply, just lifting Rachel in her arms as he passed near them. He didn't turn to look at them. He didn't turn to look at Rachel as she rested her head on her mother's shoulder whispering a 'sowwy' before hiding her face in the crock of her neck.

...

* * *

House turned his head toward the door as soon as he heard knocking on it, turning again to watch the TV until another knock urged him to get his ass up from the sofa and open the door. He pressed his hand on his thigh as he stood up. His cane was nowhere to be seen but a few step toward that annoying sound were something he could afford. Even better after the mix of drugs and alcohol in his blood.

His eyes widened as soon as he met Cuddy's. Tired eyes, no makeup, like if she had just woken up. Or instead, not slept at all. She adjusted Rachel in her arms as she didn't move nor make a sound. Her legs hung from her mother's arms wrapped in that green pajamas she loved so much.

"What's up?"

"You are asking me what's up?" She replied passing near him and placing the child on the coach as she just curled up without opening her eyes.

She reached for the blanket on the armchair and covered her, then glancing at the half bottle of Scotch on the coffee table before looking up at House again.

"You tell me, House"

She didn't wait for an answer, just turning off the TV and walking toward his bedroom, turning around just when she heard him behind her.

"Did you take Vicodin?" She asked as his shoulders stiffed and his jaw clenched.

"If this is what you think you can leave" He replied in such a cold and sharp tone that she couldn't help but swallow, repressing the instinct of taking a step back.

She took a step toward him instead, looking into his eyes as her hand reached for his arm.

"I'm not here for judging you, House. Just, talk to me. Talk to me, please. I'm sorry for what happened earlier but I know there's more than that. We were ok last night. What's happened after?"

He looked at her but didn't answer and she just sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"She didn't mean to hurt you, you know that. She just wanted to say hello. She waited for you this morning and you didn't come and -"

"Surprise! I'm not the Father of the Year, Cuddy!" He sharply and sarcastically replied despite her soft tone, making her almost gasp as her jaw clenched this time.

"No," She replied in the same tone giving him a serious and hurt look "because you already are the Idiot of the Year"

They just stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, till House looked away.

"Good. Because it would sound weird since I'll never be anyone's father. You'd been pretty clear about that"

"W-what?" Her eyes widened as they met House's again "What are you talking about?"

Again he didn't answer, looking at her as her eyes sought an answer in the blue of his. She closed her eyes as soon as she realized what they were talking about, and ran her hand on her forehead.

"Rachel's request. About her birthday gift" She whispered as she put both hand on her face this time, then looking at him again.

"It was... what? Three weeks ago. So... what? You haven't brought up the subject anymore but you're still thinking about that?"

 _...'I'll never be anyone's father. You'd been pretty clear about that'_

She sighed as all the pieces of the puzzle came in the right place.

"I didn't say no. And I didn't say yes. We... we actually didn't talk about that. So...why? What is this now, House?"

"I asked you if you want a baby. You said no. It's not something up for interpretation, Cuddy!"

"You... I... I didn't say no" She replied shaking her head slightly as her eyes widened at the way he stared at her "I mean... you weren't serious, House. Why are you doing this right now?" She stared back making her arms fall along her sides "Do _you_ want a baby?"

"I don't" He replied in a whisper still staring at her.

She spread her arms in a disconsolate way.

"So why are we arguing?"

He held her gaze until she brought an hand on her forehead and closed her eyes, sighing. _Screw you, House! Why have you to be always so irritating, and stubborn and -_ She inhaled deeply again, beginning a countdown from 99 and trying her best to keep those words just in her mind.

"So, it's ok if you don't want a baby from me, but it's not if I'm the one not wanting a baby from you" She stated in a whisper, this time not looking at him.

It wasn't a question. She didn't need an interrogative form here.

"Because we both know why you don't want a baby with me, Cuddy. Deep down you think I'm not good for that. And you're right. I'm not good for a child. And I'm not good for a woman with a child"

She glared at him in such a way he almost think she could electrocute him as her 'Oh, fuck, don't give me this shit!' echoed in the room this time and for a few seconds still rang in their ears.

"C'mon! You were up to be knocked up by -"

"Don't you dare!" She said in such a tone that his sentence hung midair.

There it was. His fears turned in rage. Turned in accusations and recriminations.

Cuddy's hands trembled like her irises and she just looked away, then looking up at him again.

"What's wrong with you, House?" She whispered as her voice cracked "WHAT'S FUCKING WRONG WITH YOU?" She almost yelled this time, forgetting for a moment the child sleeping in the next room as her mouth winced and her eyes misted.

Her hand raised preventing him from reply and to avoid him from coming closer. She closed her eyes, swallowing her tears as that same hand hid her eyes.

"You're a selfish asshole" She hissed, not looking at him as she went on the offensive "Why has everything to be about you?"

He stared at her as she closed her eyes again, this time letting one tear roll down her cheek.

"The real question is 'Why do you want a child House?' Because I don't? Or better, because you think I don't? Because you have to say yes every time I say no, or black when I say white? Or because your brain is now wondering why the woman who says of being in love with you doesn't want your baby?"

"You don't, Cuddy"

A sort of laugh escaped her mouth as her hand reached her forehead again.

"I never said that" She pointed out as the blue of her eyes met his.

"I love you. More than you deserve sometimes. And I can stand up to you, do you really think I'm scared of not being able of standing up to a mini version of you?"

She spread her arms again as he stared at her.

"You yelled at her?" She asked in a rhetorical way at the look on his face, waving her hand toward the closed door "Well, I have a big truth for you, House. There are not perfect parents" She paused to stare at him as those words echoed again in his mind one by one "Where is your observation skill? Doesn't it work when it's about yourself?" She shook her head looking at him as he didn't reply. He wasn't supposed to reply actually and she just took a deep breath before speaking again.

"Her eyes light up every time you're in the room. YOURS light up every time she's in the room. Do you really think to be a so good actor? She can bother and make you smile at the same time, House. That's what a child is. What do you think you are? The man who live with us? The man with her mom? The man with her and mama? Let her call you Dad, or keep to be just House, I don't care about that! Nor her. Whatever you want it or not, you are and will always be the first man she fell in love with. And, whatever you want to name yourself, House, you're a father. You already are. She loves you. And you're an idiot if you can't see it!"

She looked at him as he looked away, swallowing.

"And you know what? You're great in that" She whispered, trying to regain control on her voice "I don't give a fuck if you're scared by that word or not" She hissed, locking eyes with him as his eyes betrayed his discomfort "You are a father. For Rachel" She said again, stretching that concept, just in case he was going to reply he haven't got any child.

"What am I missing, Cuddy. I'm a great at that. You love me. You could raise my child. Your words" He said looking into her eyes "You could, but you don't want it"

She swallowed.

"Or I'd want it but I can't" She replied in a whisper.

He didn't reply as she took a few step away from him.

"Don't give me that shit about your age, Cuddy," He said in a bothered tone as she didn't look up at him "unless I missed you hitting menopause, that would mean I turned definitely too old and atherosclerosis hit me"

Their eyes met but she didn't replied, and his gaze softened at the hurt look in her eyes.

"I still have my clues" He added, this time in a teasing tone, succeeding in making a slight smile play on her lips.

"If it's because of in vitro you're the idiot, Cuddy. You know that failing in conceiving like that doesn't make you sterile"

She gave him just a glance, nodding as she went back to look at her own hands, fidgeting with the bracelet on her wrist.

"I didn't fail in conceiving" She said in a firm tone despite the way in which her irises slightly trembled again.

"What?"

He looked at her as she swallowed and avoided his gaze, then glancing at him.

"I lost a baby, House. I... I just don't know if I can go through that again. Losing our baby"

He just stared at her. _She had...? When? How had he missed that?_ Their eyes met again and he just stared at her again for a few seconds.

"W-why did you never tell me?" He asked this time in what came out like a whisper.

"You never asked" She just replied, holding his gaze and then looking at her own hands again.

 _Shit!_

He reached for her arm as she took another step back, looking at the floor till he drew her toward him wrapping an arm around her as she just rested her forehead against his shoulder.

"I'm sorry" He whispered kissing the top of her head as she didn't move.

He looked up at the ceiling for a fraction of second then closed his eyes, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"Maybe I can run for the Idiotic Father of the Year then" He said again as this time she chuckled against his chest, wrapping her arms around him as he held her tighter in turn.

"What did she say you?" He asked as the hand caressing his back stopped and she looked up at him.

"Rachel?"

He just nodded at her obvious question, staring into the blue of her eyes as he couldn't help but think instead to the ones which had haunted him all day. Big chirpy blue irises, rimmed by that dark line underling them so they looked even bigger. He had stolen that happiness from her eyes on that morning and a strange feeling had tormented him all day. Guilt. And he wasn't used to it.

"She felt guilty because she hurt you. I told her you were gonna be ok" She said staring in turn at his eyes "I think she made you a drawing for making amends" She added as the corners of his lips curled up a little despite the dark look in his eyes.

"Did you pass the child your Jewish guilt, Cuddy?" He asked in an ironic tone trying to play down his own discomfort "She's not the one who has to make amends" He replied looking away for a moment as if he was pondering if opening to her or not.

She wondered if he was conscious of his words or not. If he was conscious than in later weeks he didn't address anymore to Rachel like _'your daughter'_ but as _'the child'_. Still far from the next step but a step anyway. She knew him to well to force him into that. In the same way he wasn't aware of having by now an entire drawer full of his own stuff in her bedroom.

"I was supposed to love just you" He said as their eyes met again and she bit her lower lip "And I wasn't supposed to think about a baby with you. And here I am. Thinking that the only reason for not having a child with you is that I'm scared he or she won't like me"

She held back a smile at his skill of saying sweet things without saying them out loud. But there they were. Between the lines. His love for her. And in a way... for Rachel. His so human desire to have a child, just hidden by his feeling of inadequacy.

"A Big Bad man scared by a three-year old and an unborn child?" She teased as his look softened.

"You should be scared too. It would be stubborn and mischievous," he said looking into her eyes with a look that this time made a shiver run along her back "and cheeky and teasing," he whispered on her lips grazing them with his.

"Are you thinking about a child or a copy of you?" She replied as he brushed his lips on hers again and a flash lit up his eyes "There's a 50:50 chance it will take after me"

She smiled as a laugh escape House's mouth.

"Then add annoying and anal and pain in the ass, and -"

She rolled her eyes, trapping her lower lip between her teeth to prevent her smile from growing wider.

"-and beautiful" he added again as his low voice sent a shiver in her lower abdomen.

His lips found hers again, just grazing them till they parted giving access to his tongue. A moan escaped her mouth as she savoured him, getting lost in that slow and deep kiss. He cupped her face as her hands moved in his hair, keeping him exactly where he was. Breathing wasn't a primary need right now. His hands moved in the back of her head as his lips left hers just to focus on her neck.

Was there something better than her breathing becoming laboured just because of his kisses?

He didn't left her skin as her hands found the hem of his shirt lifting it till it reached his chest and he was forced to let go of her and raise his arms, looking at her as she tossed his sweater on the floor. He took off hers in turn drawing her to himself as he looked for her lips again, lifting her up in his arm as their eyes met.

She looked at his mouth as he rested her on his bed and she adjusted under his weight trailing the line of his muscles and caressing his back.

More than one year after she still wasn't used to this. And he still couldn't help the feeling which filled his stomach every time he watched her lying on his bed. Well, his stomach and his groin actually.

She smiled as he propped on his elbows and his eyes travelled along her body before his hands found her panties, slipping them along her legs. He didn't move on top of her again and just knelt between her legs, lowering his underwear in turn, then bending over her to kiss her inner thigh. She moaned in anticipation and his lips moved a few inches, teasing her skin before finding her most intimate spot. She bit harder on her lower lip in an attempt of restrain herself and just let her head fall back against the mattress, holding her breath.

He smiled, raising his head for a second and kissing her lower belly as his eyes met hers again.

"Go under the sheets," he whispered in a deep tone as a mischievous smile played on her lips "the door isn't locked"

She gave him a teasing look, raising on her elbows as he moved the sheets apart.

"Since when you're the responsible parent?"

He didn't reply and just took her hand pulling her on top of him, then pulling the sheets over her shoulders as their lips met again and his hands found her back.

No, he wasn't supposed to be the responsible parent. He wasn't supposed to want to be a parent yet. And yet, here he was.

One of his hand moved in her hair, then cupping her cheek as their lips parted and he looked into her eyes again. A smile played on her lips as he rolled her over, moving on top of her an finding her lips again as just the sound of their laboured breathing filled the room.

No, he wasn't supposed to ask silently for caring lovemaking over rough sex yet. And again, here he was, wanting nothing more than silently making love with the woman he still wasn't bold enough to call _the love of his life._

He looked at her as she left his mouth, tilting her head back and arching more under him, despite the weight pressing her against the mattress and he couldn't restrain himself anymore, closing his eyes and letting go in her arms.

...

* * *

House stirred, sleepily stretching his arm toward the other side of the bed and groaning as he found just sheets and a cold space. He ran a hand on his eyes and face as he tried to get accustomed to the still slight morning light filling the room, listening to the sound of running water coming from the bathroom as his still half asleep mind pondered if joining her there for a special good morning or just stay where he was, wrapped in the warmth of his bed.

He didn't need to look at the clock on the nightstand. Knowing her it could be at most 6 in the morning so he was even allowed to go back in Morpheus arms for at least one hour.

He started instead as the mattress moved slightly, suddenly opening both eyes and catching sight of the green figure which quickly slipped under the covers, nestling at his side without asking for his permission.

His eyes opened wide and a cold shiver ran to his lower belly as soon as his mind went on _'on'_ , before realizing with a sigh of relief that yeah, he was wearing underwear.

"Hey" he said, lifting the cover to look at her as she looked up but didn't move, nor came out from that safe place "What's wrong?"

She hid her face against his side again humming a few incomprehensible words as this time he moved the covers uncovering her head.

The corners of his lips curled up a little as soon as just her little arm moved, reaching for the cover again and pulling it over her own head again.

"There's a Big Bad Wolf, out there" a voice coming from somewhere under the sheets said as House's hand found her little arm, now wrapped around his chest. Well, not literally "wrapped around" since she could reach at most half of his chest with that little arm.

"There's no Big Bad Wolfes, Rachel" he chucked giving a squeeze to her arm.

"He's out there. I heard him" She replied, again hiding against his side.

"There's not Bad Wolves" he repeated.

"Yes, he made a scaring call" She said as he rolled his eyes "like this" she added as he couldn't help but laugh at her attempt to imitate that sort of throated sound.

"That wasn't a wolf, Rach" he replied giving her what wanted to be a glare but came out like an amused look "It was me"

She looked up this time.

"Really?"

He let out another laugh and nodded as she smiled this time, popping up like a cake in a birthday card, letting out an admiring _whoa_.

"Can you come to live with us then? Mom and me?" She asked as he gave her a puzzled look "To scare Big Bad Wolves," She pointed out "you are very scaring" she laughed.

"So, why aren't you scared of me too?" He asked.

He didn't see that coming. He just stood still in what was a sort of sudden paralysis as her arms wrapped his neck and her lips found the roughness of the beard on his cheek.  
He closed his eyes, swallowing the strange feeling of the three words she happily said on his skin and just wrapped his arms in turn around her holding her for a few seconds before she popped up again.

"And my buttocks are too skinny" She added with a ear to ear smile as this time he couldn't help but laugh.

No, he wasn't supposed to fight against Big Bad Wolves. He wasn't supposed to want to fight against all the Big Bad Wolves scaring her. He wasn't supposed to be a Dad.


	7. Let's make a baby?

Well, the title is self-explanatory ;)

Sorry for the long delay! Enjoy!

* * *

 **...**

 **CHAPTER 7 - Let's make a baby?**

 **...**

* * *

"Don't go"

She smiled as House's arm wrapped her body avoiding her from getting up and instead keeping her under the sheets and pressed to his body.

"I have a meeting in one hour and a half," she whispered, turning to face him "and I still have to take a shower, to wake Rachel up, make breakfast, get dressed," She whispered again on his lips, slightly brushing them.

",to get your boyfriend off" He added as she rolled her eyes.

"I think that's not on my list, House" she teased, though brushing his lips with hers again.

She didn't resist his tongue however as he teased her lips then finding a way into her mouth. For a moment she forgot about the clock on the nightstand and the page full of appointments of her agenda and just purred against his mouth as their tongue fondled and their hands found each other's skin.

"Hhhmmm..."

Her hand found his chest, slightly pushing him away and pulling back from that kiss before it was too late. They just looked at each other as she kissed his lips again and he let go of the grip around her waist, giving her a naughty look as she sat up and moved the covers by side.

"Don't look at me like that," she said again as a smile played on her lips "because of you, now I'm gonna go to work frustrated" she added, bending down again to give him a last kiss, then standing up, and heading toward the bathroom, taking off her nightie along the way.

 _Evil cunning woman!_

A mischievous smile played on his lips as her naked body disappeared behind the bathroom door and he just looked at that door as he heard the water beginning to run in the shower.

Cuddy looked at the door in turn as the room filled of steam and closed her eyes letting the hot water roll along her body and relax her muscles, fighting at the same time the instinct to touch herself. _Geez! The thoughts that man could awaken in her!_

She bit harder on her lower lip trying to discharge that thought from her mind.

She didn't open her eyes as soon as she heard the door opening and just bit on her lower lip, holding back a smile as instead she couldn't hold back a moan as soon as his left hand cupped her breast and the other one slipped along the front of her neck. He held her still as his mouth sucked her shoulder, then having its way along the soft skin of her neck. She inhaled sharply and tilted her head back, resting it against his chest as he sucked her skin again.

"No way I'm gonna leave you frustrated, Cuddy" He whispered in her ear in such a horny tone that she almost forget to breathe. Her mind already on short-circuit at the bare feeling of his erection pressing against her buttocks and of his hands on her.

"Hous-"

His name hung midair, replaced by another moan as his hand moved down from her neck, slowly slipping on her skin till her pubic hair.

 _Holy s-_! Was there something better than his hand caressing her?

"Wasn't I on your list, Lisa?" He teased again, this time cupping her sex as his hips slammed against her bottom. He never called her by first name. Almost never. How could that be such a turn on sometimes? Well, his tone alone was almost enough to bring her to the edge.

She really forgot to breathe and just gasped as soon as two of his fingers slipped into her. His thumb caressing her in such a way she was almost beginning to see stars.

He pulled out as soon as her legs began to tremble and smiled on her skin at the somehow bothered and frustrated moan that escaped her lips.

"Wasn't I?" He repeated biting on the skin between her neck and shoulder as all her body shivered despite the hot air and water.

"Oh God, House, please" She moaned again as her arm blindly look for his nape, keeping him exactly where he was.

"Please what Lisa?" He asked again "Please get me off? Please fuck me?"

She moaned again, arching her back and tilting her head back even more against his chest as just a _"Oh God -"_ found a way through her lips, getting lost in the noise of the water running over their bodies.

And House smiled again, turning her head toward himself enough to kiss her mouth. She wasn't for dirty talking, but sometimes that was enough to bring her almost over the brink.

Their tongues fondled each other in a deep kiss till he pulled back again, gaining another disapproving moan from her.

His hands found her hips this time, holding her firmly as she turned her head to look at him. Their eyes met as one of his hand pushed on her back, making her bend over. Her hands reached for the wall in front of herself and she held her breath as he slipped into her. She closed her eyes, bowing her head for a second and then tilting it back again as his hand caressed her skin despite the insistent pace of his hips. She bit harder on her lower lip and pressed the tip of her fingers even more against the wall at the burning feeling growing inside her with every thrust.

One of her hand lost the grip on the wall as her legs almost gave in and she reached for another support letting a print on the foggy glass as House wrapped her waist, holding her as her legs trembled.  
He couldn't restrain himself anymore... not with her calling his name between moans and squeezing him at the same time. He held her tighter and tilted his head back in turn, then resting his forehead against the wet skin of her back.

"Oh God-" She almost moaned, almost chuckled still leaning against the wall for support, as he kissed her back, smiling on her skin.

She smiled as she turned toward him and his arms enveloped her, holding her close to himself.

"What was this?" She asked in a teasing tone as he gave her a mischievous look.

"A good morning" He replied as her smile grew wider and he kissed her lips.

"I'll remember to put you on my list" She said as another smile played on his lips too.

He reached for the shower gel and poured a large amount of it on the palm of his hand, then stroking her skin as she stroked his, stealing her a kiss from time to time.

"I love you" She whispered on his lips as his hands smoothed her wet hair, then moving along her shoulders.

His answer came in form of another long deep kiss. He caressed her shoulders again, then cupped her ass, giving her a little spank as the blue of their eyes met and she smiled.

"Get dressed" He said on her lips "I'm gonna awake Rach," he added, this time kissing her forehead.

She looked at him as he wrapped himself in the bathrobe as she tied in turn the sash of hers. He gave her just another glance and walked out, closing the door.

She smiled as the door shut open again a few seconds later and she met his eyes again.

"Are you ok with pancakes?" He asked as she just nodded and he disappeared again behind the door.

She smiled wider at the closed door.

 _'I'm ok with you',_ she thought biting her lip as she couldn't stop smiling.

.

* * *

.

House walked out of the exam room, letting out a sigh as his gaze followed the walking of his patient toward the exit. What has he ever done wrong to deserve this? ' _Well, yeah, maybe there were a few things after all_ ' he thought as the corners of his lips curled almost imperceptibly and his gaze focused on the more interesting view of the brunette leaning against the desk, approaching her and handing to Nurse Jeffrey the folder in his hand as they exchange a glare.

"Is it just me or half of the world is procreating in recent weeks?" House whispered, bending his head toward Cuddy's ear as she just look up from the folder in her hand, giving a glance at the two very pregnant women in the Clinic waiting room and at the one moving a stroller back and forth trying to calm down her crying baby.

A sort of laugh escaped her mouth as she looked down again, not turning his head to look at him despite the piercing stare she could practically feel on herself, trying her best to avoid that subject and instead handing him the folder.

"Do you think that guy knows he's not the father of the child?" He asked again, placing the folder back on the desk as she turned to look at him this time, following his gaze till the young dark-eyed boy sitting between his blue-eyed parents. "You couldn't fool me, Cuddy. Ours could just have gorgeous blue eyes" He said in a teasing tone as she met his gaze again and her lips curled up "Mine obviously" He pointed out as she ran her tongue on her lips "You don't really want to deprive mankind of such good genes, right?" He teased again as she rolled her eyes, though trapping her lip between her lips in an unsuccessful attempt not to smile wider.

She reached for the folder in front of herself and slammed it against his chest as his hands reached for it in turn to avoid it from falling on the floor.

"Shut up and work, Mendel" She teased in turn as he gave her a very mischievous look, still staring into her eyes as he walked backward toward the exam room, succeeding in stealing her a smile just a second before the door shut closed.

"You're not Dr. Wilson"

House turned to look at the old lady sitting on the examination bed, his eyes moving from the purse still in her hands to her knitted jumper as she scanned him from head to toe.

"Well, you don't need an oculist then" He replied, opening the folder in his hands as the woman just stared at him "I'm Dr. House, anyw-"

He suddenly looked down as soon as something fall from the folder hitting the tip of his black Nike, forcing him to reluctantly bend over for picking it up. He turned it in his hands and met again the old lady's gaze as she stared at that blister pack from which at least one third of the pills were missing. He stared at the back of the package and then looked up at her again, letting out a puff and making a face, shaking his head slightly.

"I'd better return this to Dr. Wilson right now," He said raising the blister pack toward her and letting out a sort of chuckle "he needs his daily dose of estrogens. We don't want him growing chest hair again, do we?" He asked, taking his cane and trying his best not to smile at the look in that woman's eyes as he exited the room.

He looked again at the package in his hand and couldn't help but smile this time, putting it in his jacket pocket and the folder on the nurses' desk again. He looked around for Cuddy just catching sight of her as she walked out of the Clinic.

.

* * *

.

"Are you avoiding me?" He whispered in her ear, approaching but not touching her as the bare feeling of him behind her made her body stiffen.

He knew the rules after all. The entire hospital was a "denial of access". And with _'access'_ she obviously meant that kind of _'access'._ No touching. No kissing. Nothing. And the only exception to that had been a few chaste kisses in their offices, away from prying eyes.

He smiled to herself at the way in which she kept looking at the woman behind the cafeteria counter, then reaching for her coffee. She just turned her head to glance at him, then turning completely and walking toward the door, knowing he would have been right to her side. She moved her arm toward him, handing him her paper cup and he just reached for it, taking a long sip and stopping in front of her office.

"Did you find my message?" She asked, still looking in front of herself as she opened the door, this time unable to hold back a smile, taking off her white coat and hanging it up on the coat rack by the door.

"Well, actually, I found this," he replied, putting a hand in his pocket "but I don't think you're implying I need estrogens, right?" He teased as she ran her tongue on her lips, not moving from what was the only hidden spot of her office with the blinds opened.

A smile played on her lips as his hand found her hip and her fingers moved to stroke the hem of his jacket collar, then slipping along the skin of his neck.

"I'm implying..." she said as both her arms wrapped his neck and his her waist "let's make a baby?"

He couldn't help his lips from curling up as he stared into her eyes, and he ran his tongue on his lips as her gaze moved from that steel blue to his mouth.

"Tell me we can start right now" He replied in a deep tone, pressing his body against hers and trapping her between the bookshelf and himself as his lips found hers with such a passion that she almost startled, letting out a moan to that assault.

Her fingers moved among his hair as their tongues fondled each other and their laboured breathing filled the silence of the room. His hand slipped under her shirt finding the smoothness of her back and his knee lightly parted her legs making her breath stop in her throat at the rubbing of his thigh against the fabric of her pants.

She purred and sighed at the same time, putting a hand on his chest as their lips parted and they looked at each other.

"I'm sorry, I can't... I have a meeting in 10 minutes" She apologized, looking into his eyes.

His piercing blue eyes stared into hers as a mischievous smile lit them up.

"Don't blame your meeting, you cunning woman" He teased her "You knew this was coming," he said drawing her to himself again as she bit her lower lip holding back a smile "that's why you wore this clear _'denial of access'_ this morning" He pointed out, cupping one of her buttock and giving it a little squeeze as she couldn't help but let out a laugh this time.

"Dinner at my place?" She asked with a half-mischievous half-guilty look as he trapped her lip between his lips, lightly sucking on it, smiling to himself at the way she closed her eyes at the sensation which ran from there to her lower abdomen.

"Just if you don't wear pants" he replied with a naughty gaze as she smiled, stroking his nape and savouring the feeling of his lips against hers, then drawing him to herself in a sweet kiss.

.

* * *

.

"I'm not your lackey, woman"

Cuddy closed the refrigerator door and turned toward House, giving him a glare he didn't met since his eyes were still focused on her bottom. She looked at him as his eyes moved up from her yoga pants, lingering for a few seconds on the V-neck of her jumper and then finally reaching her eyes.

"Yeah," She replied crossing her arms in front of her chest, leaning her backside against the counter "but you're the one who suggested to Rachel to have _'Lady and the Tramp'_ spaghetti for dinner"

He made a face and shook his head.

"I never said that!" He replied spreading his arms and looking at Cuddy and then at Rachel, laying on her belly on the floor, focused on coloring an unfortunate Lady in bright orange; her head propped on the palm of her hand and her legs swinging back and forth "I just said spaghetti and meatballs"

"Lady and the Tramp spaghetti!" Rachel almost shouted with a bright smile, turning the page of her coloring book to show him a yellow Lady and a blue Tramp eating a plate of green spaghetti and what looked like purple meatballs.

"Do you want spoiled spaghetti with rotting meatballs?" He asked her with a faked disgusted grimace pointing at the coloring book as Rachel made a face in turn, shaking her head vigorously.

"She's too used to your cooking, Cuddy" he mockingly said, letting out a chuckle as he turned to Cuddy again, obviously meeting her glare.

"That's why you're gonna cook then" She replied as her lips clenched in a thin line "and go to the grocery too" She added as he rolled his eyes and a smile played on her lips, softening her features.

.

* * *

.

The grocery down the street. No way he was gonna limp till there, freezing his ass in that cold late January evening, not to mention maybe slipping on the ice and having a head injury. He stroked his leg as soon as he opened the car door, looking around in the full parking lot as he reached for the rear door, then unclasping Rachel's seat belt. Why does she always want to come with him? And first of all, why could he never tell no to her?

He looked out of the corner of his eyes at that red wool coat hopping at his side and just smiled to himself, reaching for the white pompom of her wool cap as soon as the door of the mall slid open and taking it off, then putting that hat with his in his coat pocket and instead taking the shopping list from it. He looked at it, squinting and blinking as he stretched his arm in front of himself in an attempt to focus on Cuddy's handwriting without his reading glasses. _Damn woman, why a so minuscule writing?_ Those were the moments in which he remembered she was younger than him.

"Howse, look!" Rachel called him, making him turn his head toward her "A _meow_ " she said, pointing to the pet into the shopping cart next to theirs "Can we buy a _meow_ too?"

House's gaze moved from the grey, orange and white tiny cat in the cart to Rachel's big expecting eyes and then again at the pet's green eyes.

"It's not for sell, Rachel. And it's not a _meow_. It's a cat"

"Pleaseeeee" She tried again with big puppy eyes as he rolled his eyes.

"See?" He said stretching toward her the paper in his hand despite she couldn't obviously read it. _Well, he neither actually._ _Damned presbyopia!_ "The lady boss said milk and meat for the meatballs. No cats"

 _Unless you want her to cut my balls!_ He mentally added looking at the child as she pouted.

"And the woman down there is probably its owner. We can't take it. Then, c'mon, say bye-bye to the little _fleabag_. We're late"

 _Or your mom is gonna make meat balls with mine!_ He thought again, pushing the shopping cart forward and glancing at her as she followed him, her head still turned toward the little cat.

"Chicken or beef?" He asked as she just shrugged.

Chicken, according to his girlfriend's tastes. He was definitely for pork instead. Tasty and delicious pork. But since he wasn't allowed to buy pork, beef was in a way the perfect middle ground, right? He looked up at the butcher again pointing at a succulent piece of steer, ignoring the way in which Rachel tapped the tip of her shoe against the floor.

"Wait" He glared at the man in front of himself looking at his hand as he scratched his nose without taking off his latex gloves nor bothering about changing those same gloves before reaching for the meat in front of himself. His eyes moved to the spots on his white pants and then again at his puzzled look "Never heard about Salmonella, right?" He asked as that guy's eyes looked at him in a even more puzzled look.

House held his gaze and just shook his head slightly.

"Never mind," He said gesturing to the butcher "we'll go for cod tonight" he added pointing to the fish section at the other side of the room and then looking down at Rachel "What's about _Aristocats spaghetti_ , kid- ?"

He instinctively turned his head to look behind his back and then his torso too to look all around. His gaze darted from right to left and along the hallway.

"Holy -"

Even that imprecation hung midair. _She wore a red coat for God sake! How on Earth could she be nowhere to be seen!_

"Rachel?"

He'd been walking with a limp for years, now he knew he could practically run with a limp too. Candies sector. Toys sector. Even the frozen food sector, where she liked to run her little finger on the thin layer of ice covering the boxes. _Shit!_ He had checked all her favourite sectors and she was still nowhere to be seen.

 _Oh c'mon! Breathe, Greg! Focus! You have lost sight of her for how long? One minute? She obviously can be gone that far! Not with that little legs of hers! And she's probably looking for you in turn right now._

He went back to the meat sector but she wasn't there, nor that butcher-guy had seen her. _Fuck! What if someone took her?_ His stomach twisted at that bare thought.

 _Oh c'mon Greg, don't freak out! It's not some bad Latino soap opera! And the kid could be such a pain in the ass sometimes that a kidnapper would have brought her back after two minutes of her annoying weeping! But... God Rachel... where are you?_

 _The cat._

 _Yeah. She had to be there!_

He caught sight of the same woman they had seen a few minutes earlier and headed toward her. The cat was still there in the cart. But Rachel wasn't. And he ran a hand in his hair.

"Sir? Are you looking for the child?" She asked as he just nodded giving her a piercing look "She played with Theo. With him," She said pointing to the little cat "She went down there," She added, this time pointing down the hallway "She said, er... I think she said that... she was going home"

 _Home? What? Are you idiot or what? She's a three years old for God's sake! How can a child that age go home alone?_

House stared at her, repressing the instinct of yelling those words in her face. And he could bet Rachel hadn't said she was going home yet. She had probably said she was going to her House! Well, not that that woman could guess it, but... _Fuck!_ Maybe it was really time to stop being a coward and let her call him _'dad'._

He just briefly thanked her, taking a few steps in the direction she had indicated but then suddenly stopping and turning toward her again as she gave him a puzzled look.

"Anyway," he said in a somehow dry tone, pointing to the little cat "That's a calico cat. There's a 99% chance HE's a SHE!" he said as she looked from him to her pet and then again at him, as this time her gaze met just his back as he walked away.

...

Rachel bit her lower lip as she looked around. Tall shelves. Long hallways. Unknown faces.

"Howse..."

She couldn't help but pouting as she looked around again. He wasn't there. Nor mommy...

"Hey?" She looked up at the big big big man looking down at her. Taller than House... and definitely with a bigger belly than House.

"Did you get lost, honey" He asked as she just stared at him as he settled his belt under is belly and her gaze moved to the sort of gun hanging to his side.

He had good hazel eyes, like uncle Wilson but he wasn't uncle Wilson. And she looked around again biting hard on her lower lip.

He knelt to look better at her "What's your name?" He tried.

She didn't answer. Yeah. Probably her mother had teach her not to talk to stranger, but that didn't come in hand right now.

"Are you here with Mom?" He asked again, trying to read her gaze as no words came from her lips "No? With Dad?" He tried again. No answer.

 _Ok..._ It was obvious a more or less 3-year-old wasn't there alone. And he had to find her parents then. They were surely as scared as her right now. Well, he would be.

It wasn't easy to look reassuring when you're 6 foot five tall, but he tried his best. He reached for her little hand despite her attempt to pull back at first.

She held his hand. J's hand. J. That was a funny name. Like the J in the little song she used to sing at the playschool. And like Uncle Wilson's letter. ... L... Anyway, he said he was going to take her to mommy, and that's was ok for her. But... what about House? She couldn't go home without House.

"Howse" She whispered looking up at Jay as he looked down at her with a big smile.

"Yeah, don't worry sweetheart" He smiled again "We're gonna find your Mom and you'll go home. I promise"

She gave him a puzzled look. Why did everyone think she wanted to go home? Well, yeah she wanted that too. But...

"Rachel!"

She suddenly turned her head toward that voice and Jay turned too, meeting a man's look as he ran a hand through his hair. From the relief in his eyes he could just be her father. That would have been exactly the same look he would have had if he lost his own little princess.

"Oh, Rachel then?" Jay asked looking down at her again as she nodded this time, though not replying to his smile.

House looked at them both _. Fuck!_ What was he going to tell that security guard now? That he lost his girlfriend's daughter? _Fuck again!_ The last thing he wanted now was calling Cuddy to have her daughter back! He looked at them again as he smiled to Rachel ruffling her hair and she gave him a slight smile this time.

"It's look like Jay here found your dad, right Rachel?" He said her, as she looked at Jay and then at House and then at Jay again, swinging one of her foot back and forth.

He knew that gaze. The same of a few month earlier when the teacher had asked her if she played _'Feed the monkey'_ before.

And... she just nodded.

She ran toward him as soon as the security guard let go of her hand and she wrapped her arms so tight around his leg that she almost hurt him. Well, not that he cared right now! He just lifted her and held her, closing his eyes for a second as soon as her little head found the crook of his neck and then reaching for Jay's hand, shaking it.

.

* * *

.

He settled Rachel better in his arms and looked at the front door.

He had been so worried about the child that for a moment he had almost forgotten about Cuddy. _Fuck,_ there was no way she wasn't going to rip off his balls as soon as she find he had almost lost her daughter!

 _Responsible parent._ It was the last thing he was.

 _How could she think about having a baby with him if he wasn't reliable enough to take the child to grocery shopping without putting her in danger?_

He sighed. His eyes fixed on the brass numbers on the wooden door. Rachel on one arm, cane and shopping bag hanging from the other arm... _shit!_ , inserting the key in the lock was almost an impossible mission.

Cuddy rolled her eyes as soon as she heard the sound of his cane against the door. Actually she already knew they were back since she had heard the engine in her driveway. She looked up from the tomatoes she was slicing and rested the cutter on the chopping board, adding them to the bowl of lettuce before washing her hands and drying them in a dish cloth.

Their eyes met as soon as she opened the door and he settled Rachel in his arms again. Her arms wrapped around his neck so tightly she was almost choking him.

"What's happened?" She asked as her hand instinctively reached for Rachel's back, stroking her.

"She's fine" He replied as she gave him a puzzled look, then looking at Rachel as she moved at her touch but didn't turn, wrapping somehow her little arms even more around House.

Cuddy's eyebrows raised, giving him a even more puzzled and questioning look.

Well, there was no way he could avoid that subject so... the sooner the better. And she had all the rights to kick his ass this time.

"She got lost at the supermarket, Cuddy," He began "I turned and she wasn't by my side anymore... luckily the security guard found her. She's fine"

He looked at Cuddy as her mouth hung open but no sound came from her lips.

"Put her down" She said staring at him as he stared back but didn't move.

"Put her down" She repeated in a firm tone, still staring at him as he moved this time, putting Rachel down, but not averting his eyes from her.

"Fine" He said as soon as the child's feet touched the floor "I'd better go then"

Cuddy gave him a questioning look, taking Rachel's hand and looking down at her as her big eyes focus on her mother's.

"How many times I told you, little lady?" She said glaring at her daughter "You never, NEVER, have to run away from me or House. Never. Nor at the park, nor at the supermarket. NEVER. Have I been clear?"

House looked at Rachel as she nodded and then at Cuddy. _Really? No earful for him?_

He met Cuddy's eyes again and she just took the shopping bag still hanging from his arm and peeked into it. A bottle of milk and one of white wine. No meat, nor anything else.

He stood still as her hand reached for his cheek to stroke his stubble and she lightly kissed his lips.

"This looks promising anyway" She said, taking the wine from the shopping bag and giving him a mischievous look then heading to the kitchen.

.

* * *

.

It was weird how silent the house was when Rachel was asleep. She had fallen asleep on the coach right after the dinner, overwhelmed by the events of that day, and House looked at her peacefully asleep face as he tucked her in bed, running his hand on her forehead and hair. A routine of which he was going to be part if they succeed in having a baby. Well, he already was part of it actually. But a _child..._ Was he already becoming nervous about that?

He smiled as he entered the kitchen again, glancing at the two glasses on the counter and at the bottle of wine he had bought as she opened it, then placing the cork on the marble surface.

"I thought the deal was _'no pants'_ tonight" He teased, putting his hands on her hips as she turned just her head toward him, giving him a mischievous smile as he lightly kissed her lips.

She filled the two glasses and handed one to House, then taking a long sip from hers and taking his hand, heading him to her bedroom.

God, he loved the way in which her cheeks immediately took colour because of alcohol! And even more the flash in her eyes right now. If he wasn't for that same glass of wine he would have thought she was already pregnant. Crazy hormones would have been a right explanation for the turning of that evening.

"Why are you in such a good mood?" He asked, looking into her eyes as she smiled.

"Why aren't you?" She replied in what was a teasing and horny tone at the same time.

Her mellow warm voice. It would have had to be enough to make him hard. If just he could stop thinking.

Was he really already becoming nervous at the idea of making a baby with her? What was this? Performance anxiety? Or was it again because of Rachel? He had almost lost her for God's sake! How could he think about being a father if he wasn't reliable enough to take care of a child for more than half an hour?

"Hey? Stop thinking" She said on his lips putting her arms around his neck "You're right, the deal was _'no pants'_..." She added, this time taking a step back.

He looked at her hands as they found the elastic band of her yoga pants lowering them slowly, making them slip along her legs and pool on the floor. She tossed them away with the tip of her foot and gave him a naughty look as her thumbs found this time the elastic band of her thong.

"Did you say pants or panties?" She asked in a very teasing tone as even her underwear reached her ankles, just to be tossed away like her pants.

He swallowed, trying to focus on her eyes despite his gaze kept to look very lower.

He rested his hands on her hips again as she moved closer. Her hot skin contrasting with her goose bumps.

"Your turn. I want what you promise" She said giving him the sexier smile as her hands found his belt, beginning to unbuckle it. Her palm stroked his groin through the fabric of his jeans and she looked straight into his eyes.

 _Fuck!_ She was there, sexy like hell, asking him to fuck her and literally fill her like never before and did he have to choose right this time not to work properly?

She bit her lip and her look softened as she put her arms around his neck again.

"You ok?" She asked. He usually was up for her just with a dirty look. She didn't need to be a psychologist now "If you're not ready for this it's ok, I-"

He cupped her face with both hands, looking for her tongue as she moaned into his mouth.

"I just need a hand" he teasingly said on her lips, staring right into the blue of her eyes as their forehead touched "or maybe not just a hand" he pointed out as she ran her tongue on her lips giving him a look which was enough to make his little bro to stiff.

"Just remember it's cold here" He teased again as she reached for his zipper, giving him a smile and pushing against his shoulder so he sat down on the bed.

"Not for long" She replied, licking her lips and lowering his pants, letting them around his ankles till she took off his shoes.

He looked at her, knelt between his legs and just swallowed. In past time that view would have been almost enough to make him come even before she touched him.

Her palm rubbed him through the fabric of his panties, then slipping into it and freeing him as he closed his eyes.

 _Fuck! He definitely wasn't infallible after all!_

He swallowed again, trying to focus just on her touch... on her fingers wrapped around him as they began to caress him.

"God, Cuddy"

He just opened his eyes to look at her, meeting the now deep blue of her eyes, looking intently at him, fixed on his features. Her dilated pupils, her swollen lips slightly parted like she was already savouring what was coming next.

 _Fuck!_ _  
_  
His hand reached for her wrist as her pace sped. He ran his fingers along the muscles of her arm... along her bicep and up to her shoulder, then finding the back of her head and gripping her hair as she gave him a even more horny look.

His last thinking skills faded and he shut his eyes closed again, tilting his head back and getting lost in that whirlwind of sensations. Her breath on him, her tongue, her mouth, her teeth grazing him from time to time...

 _Holy c-_ _  
_

His fingers let go of her hair and moved again along the back of her neck and her shoulder, stopping on her arm and giving it a squeeze till she looked up at him. She just smiled as he pulled her on top of him, quickly taking off the jumper she had still on. His hands found the sides of her head, holding her face as she straddled him. And they looked into each other's eyes as she lowered herself on him and they both gasped at that overwhelming sensation, fighting to keep their eyes locked as they became one. His gaze moved down, focusing on her parted lips and his mouth found hers, his tongue fondling hers despite their laboured breathing.

His hands left her face just to slid along her shoulders and back, caressing her before stopping on her buttocks, favouring her pace as she moved on him. Her body slamming against him with every thrust quickly brought him near the edge and he inhaled deeply, fighting against his own orgasm as her body began to tremble. She let out a somehow disapproving moan as he shifted under her, meeting his eyes as he rolled her under him. His eyes locked with hers as he stood still, trying not to focus on the hot folders wrapping him.

"You sure?" He asked in a whisper as she bit on her lower lip, purring even at his little move inside her. The tip of her fingers digging into his shoulders, holding him tightly.

"Please" She just replied, closing her eyes for a moment as the bare friction of his body against her most sensitive spot was enough to make her inner walls to contract.

She arched under him, pushing herself against him even more as he moaned too at that rubbing. Their eyes met again in the most complicit look.

 _Fuck!_ He wanted nothing else than knocking her up, succeeding in what none else had ever succeeded, giving her what she had desired for so long. She was his happiness. And he wanted nothing else than her happiness. Nothing else than her smile. Nothing else than a child smiling with her smile. _Another child smiling with her smile._

"Let's make a baby?" He asked in a teasing and deep tone as a smile played on her lips. Just for a second, before being replaced by complete different look and her lips parted as he thrust into her again.

Her _'yes'_ got lost among her moans and gasps as her folders contracted hard around him, sending him to the edge in turn.

"Oh my -" she chuckled caressing the hair on the back of his head as his forehead rested between her breasts and they both tried to regain their breathing.

He kissed her skin, then rolling at her side as their eyes met again. His hand found her hip and it just rested there as his thumb caressed the side of her belly. They didn't talk and just looked at each other as another complicit smile played on both their lips and he reached for the sheets, covering them both.

He kissed her lips lightly as she moved closer, then resting her head on his chest as his arm wrapped her and his lips kissed her hair, then letting go into Morpheus's arms.


	8. Home

**CHAPTER 8 - Home**

 **...**

* * *

House caught sight of Cuddy as soon as she entered the cafeteria. There was no way his sixth sense didn't signal him her presence, neither when he sat in a concealed table in a corner of the room, feigning indifference. His eyes moved from her pencil skirt to her legs and then up to her silk blouse. She didn't look around. She just glanced at her watch and hurried to the counter, handing a bill to the girl behind it as her other hand reached for a packaged salad and what looked like a -

 _Shit!_

"What did you do this time?" An annoying voice made House almost startled, distracting him from his thoughts.

His eyes met Wilson's glare just for a second, then looking at his friend as he followed Cuddy's quick walk out of the cafeteria. He turned to House again. His hands on his hips as he stood in front of him with a questioning look. Wilson towering over him was something he wasn't used. Somehow scaring and fun at the same time.

"Why has it to be always my fault?" House asked with an annoyed look as Wilson's hand gripped the seatback of the plastic chair in front of him and sat down crossing his arms on his chest.

"Because it is" He replied as House rolled his eyes, taking a French fry from his dish and putting it into his mouth, gaining another glare from Wilson.

"I'm serious, House" he said again, looking at him as he twirled another fry between his fingers then putting it into his mouth again "Her mind was somewhere else during the Board meeting... she was... detached and indifferent all morning"

"Believe me, she was everything but indifferent this morning!" He replied in a sarcastic and mischievous tone as Wilson rolled his eyes, trying his best not to blush at that allusion.

"Anyway something is bothering her," Wilson said again with a glare that was a _'you're a genius but you really can't understand women, you moron'_

 _'Of course something is bothering her, you moron!'_ House repeated in his mind, not looking up and tapping a fry on the dish, still feeling Wilson's look on himself. _Like the fourth failed attempt of having a baby._

"You know..." Wilson said, taking a French fry and pointing it toward House as he sighed again, stopping midair the fry in his hand and putting it back on the dish. _Here it comes._ One of Wilson's lecture.

"You know..." he repeated, "women wants to feel loved"

"She's everything but in lack of _love_ "

Wilson rolled his eyes again, sighing so loudly that the young doctor in the next table turned to look at them, then quickly turning again at the glare House gave him.

"Take her out for dinner. Buy some roses. White roses. She loves white roses,"

Wilson stopped as soon as he realized who once had told him she likes white roses, meeting House wide eyes and just swallowing, looking for a deflection.

"Men buy roses to get a woman laid, Wilson! I don't need to take her out for dinner to have sex with her"

"Ok, stud! I'm sure you two have sex three or four times at day," Wilson said with a sarcastic look "but, maybe she wants something more. You've been together for... how long? One year and a half? You've been practically living together for months -"

House gave him an half bored half annoyed look.

"We're not living together"

Wilson's eyes rolled again and he shook his head in a disconsolate way this time.

"Exactly! Why not? Cut this shit, House! Sex at your place or sex at hers. Maybe she's tired of being just a piece of meat and instead want to move to the next step!"

House's eyes widened and his lips opened and closed and then opened again.

"Holy -... It's... it's not -" He shook his head in both shock and disbelief.

Wilson ignored him.

"Whatever you did, believe me, House, fix it! And if you need a diamond ring for it, well, go and buy it!" He said in a firm tone staring at him as House ran a hand on his face this time.

"I don'-... Why has it to be always because of me anyway?" He exclaimed, spreading his arms as again  
Wilson just gave him a clear _'it's always because of you, House!'_ look.

House sighed, fidgeting with the fry still between his index and thumb and then tossing it again in the dish as Wilson kept to stare at him.

"She's probably mad because I didn't do my job. Happy, now?" House said, not looking at him and just staring at the dish in front of him.

Wilson chuckled this time, shaking his head.

"Well, this is nothing new! You never do it, House" He replied as this time House looked up at him, giving him a sort of glare.

"Trust me, House. Do your job, make her happy and you'll get her laid even after a hard day of work"

House's mouth opened again. _When did he become so brazen?_ And actually...This was the only time he had to _get her laid to make his job and make her happy!_

Wilson looked at his friend as he suddenly stood up, pushing his dish of French fries toward him so quickly that a few of them rolled on the table.

"Where are you going?"

"To do my job"

...

He looked at Cuddy through the open blinds of her office, then entering without knocking as she didn't bother to turn around, still focused on searching something in the overfull box of documents behind her desk.

"A frozen yoghurt is a red flag," he said, glancing at the bowl on the desk as Cuddy turned to look at him, looking in turn at that bowl as the corners of her lips slightly curled up "a M&M's frozen yoghurt is definitely worrying" he added, twirling the spoon in that mix of melted ice cream and coloured chocolate lens and bringing a spoonful to his mouth.

A weak smile played on her lips as they stared at each other.

"Not the kind of worry you're thinking about" she replied with a sigh, resting on the desk the document in her hand.

She held his gaze as he approached her, putting his hands on her hips and drawing her closer ""Well, Cuddy" he said with a mischievous look "maybe we should focus more on the target," he added as her bottom found the rim of the desk behind her and his knee slightly parted her legs "you know I have a weakness for your desk"

He bowed his head looking for her lips, though raising it again a fraction of second later as he felt her palm against his chest.

"Someone else has a weakness for my desk" She replied in a whisper, nodding to the space under her desk as his eyes met hers and then looked down, meeting this time another pair of blue eyes.

"Remember me to check this room more often, Cuddy" He said with a somehow bothered and amused look at the same time then meeting Rachel's eyes again.

"She's sick" She said anticipating his question "and Marina got the same flu" she added running a hand on his face "add this to the meeting with the next potential president of the Board I have in five minutes and you have the perfect recipe for a catastrophe" she sighed closing her eyes for a second and massaging the back of her neck, then looking at him again.

"She doesn't look sick" He said, still looking at Rachel as she crawled toward him, rubbing against the floor the blonde stuffed cat still in her hand.

Cuddy didn't reply, just looking at him as he sat down on her chair and lifted the child on his knee. She couldn't help but smile slightly as soon as he touched her burning forehead then looking up at her again with a somehow questioning look.

"She's not a man in his fifties," Cuddy chuckled, raising an eyebrow "a 101 degrees temperature is not enough to stop her, House"

His lips curled up in turn. _Yeah, she had a point!_ 98,5 was instead enough for him for lying half dead on the sofa! Not that he was going to admit it anyway!

He looked at Cuddy as she checked her watch again, like fifteen minutes earlier in the cafeteria.

"Go" He said as she looked up, meeting his gaze "Go" he repeated as her lips parted in what was surely going to be a _'really?'_

She hesitated for a moment, then grasping the document on her desk as her other hand found his cheek and her lips his.

He looked at her as she kissed Rachel's hair and then headed to the door.

"Tell my boss I take the afternoon off" he shouted to the closed door, loud enough that she could hear anyway. She stopped for a fraction of second but didn't turn to look at him again despite the smile that played on her lips. He couldn't see it but he knew it was there.

He looked at her walking through the blinds as a smile played on his lips in turn.

...

"Howse?"

He just hummed in response, not looking down at Rachel and just turning the key in the lock, looking at the door as it opened and then closing it with the heel of his shoe as soon as they both entered his apartment.

"Howse?" She called him again, watching as he placed both their backpacks on the floor and limped toward his bedroom.

"What?" He asked, this time turning to look at her as she followed him, hopping, then climbing on his bed. He really didn't know where she could find all that energy. Even with that dose of Paracetamol he would be at most slithering on the floor by now.

"Is this your howse?"

"Yeah"

He gave a questioning intonation to that yeah. She had been there again. She already knew that was his apartment. He stared at her as she looked around, resting belly down on the bed and swinging her legs back and forth.

"Why do you have two howses?"

He stopped his research in the drawer and looked at her. Her curious and bright eyes staring into his with an expectant look, despite the red rim around them.

"This is mine. The one in which you live is your mom's and yours"

She kept to stare at him with the same gaze, as if lost in deep thoughts.

"But you live there too" she said again.

 _Yeah, right._ Actually he spent most of his nights at Cuddy's by now. He had dinner with them most of the nights and breakfast with them in the morning. His favourite cereals were in the cupboard of the kitchen next to Rachel's chocolate ones and Cuddy's whole grain ones. But, well, he and Cuddy had never talked about living together. She had never asked him of moving on with her, neither now that they're trying to have a baby together. So... what was he supposed to reply now?

He looked at her and then again at the drawer in front of himself, choosing to deflect this time and instead rummaging among the few t-shirts into it. _What the hell? Do the washing machine eat clothes?_

"What are you looking for?" She asked again as he didn't turn toward her.

"My blue T-shirt" _Your mom loves that shirt._ He mentally added. _Your mom loves me into that shirt._ He pointed out in his mind again.

"The one with the yellow little bird on a the head of a guy?" She asked appearing at his side.

"He's not just a guy," he replied with an indignant look "He is -... pff! Never mind" he sighed loudly making a move with his hand and again rummaging in his drawer.

"I saw it" She added as this time he turned toward her, meeting her funny gaze and then looking around to scan the room.

"Not here, silly!" She laughed "In mom's dresser" she said as he stared at her "Mom says that's your drawer"

He stared at her with wide eyes, and his eyebrows raised slightly.

 _His? Really?_ W _hy have he never noticed she had saved a drawer for him?_ His _drawer._

He ran a hand on his mouth, then scratching his stubble.

 _... I pressured you. Wilson coming through the window pressured you. If you're forced into this, it's not gonna work..._ _Shit!_ Was she doing that again? Not pressuring him? Waiting for him to do a step forward?

"Can I sleep here sometimes?" She asked all of a sudden awakening him from his thought.

"What?" He asked with a questioning look staring at her as she hugged one of the pillows and rolled on the bed inhaling what for sure was her mom's scent since Cuddy used to sleep on that side... well, sleeping wasn't actually was she used to do in that bed!

He pulled away that image and just focused on the mini Cuddy again "Why do you want to sleep here?"

"Some of my friends," she said with a shrug "they sleep at their Moms' sometimes, and sometimes at their Dads'. But they say staying at their Dads' is funnier. Like here"

He almost chocked with his saliva and his mouth hung open, but no sound exited from it.

 _Funnier?_ Well, yeah. He had videogames and a cupboard full of junk food. A kid's paradise!

"Er... c'mon kiddo," he said "let's go home"

He looked at her as she nonchalantly climbed down the bed running toward the door. How could it be all so easy for her? Well, obviously it was. After all she's just a three-year-old. He looked at her again as she quickly passed near his legs, then stopping in front of the front door and turning to him with a puzzled look.

"Isn't this your _home_?" She asked as she stood on tiptoe and her little hand reached for the handle.

He stared at her but didn't answer, just bending down to pick up their backpacks then reaching over her head for the handle.

 _Yeah! She had a point!_

"C'mon, let's go home" he just repeated, lightly touching her hair as she passed near him exiting the door first as he limped after her.

...

"Chicken soup?" He asked, appearing on the kitchen door and looking at Rachel, lying on the sofa and watching cartoons.

She didn't turn to look at him but shook her head so vigorously that it was a clear no.

"Spaghetti?" He tried again, gaining another head shake.

He sighed. She had refused ice cream in her mother's office, there was no way he was going to convince her to eat something.

"Chocolate milk?"

Another head shake.

His arms fell along his sides and he sighed loudly this time.

"That!" She said as her little finger pointed to the TV. To the commercial of microwave popcorn.

House's eyes widened and he looked from Rachel to the TV and then from the TV to the child again.

"What?" He asked "Have you forgotten to be a Cuddy?" He asked as Rachel just looked up at him with a questioning look, taking her heels in her hands and pulling her legs up and toward her face, then letting them fall against the sofa cushions with a bump.

"That!" She repeated pointing to the TV again as he sighed. There was no way he could find microwave popcorn in that house. In his yes. At least in three different flavours.

He sighed again, entering the kitchen and checking the pantry just for doubt's sake, rummaging through those well orderly cans and bags. The most bold things there were a can of spicy Mexican beans and a bag of candy ginger among little bags of organic seeds and Goji berries.

How can someone have all those type of grains? Even more someone that never eat carbohydrates! Thai black rice and basmati rice. And pearl barley and spelt and... If he was in a comic strip he would have had a lamp near his head right now, like Gyro in a Donald Duck comic strip. A smirk played on his lips. Maybe he could please both his girls at once. Two birds with one stone. With one kernel, literally.

He reached for the bag of corn kernels, calling Rachel. He knew she would be right behind him before he turned. He looked at her as she climbed on a chair, looking at the pan in his hand and then at the corn he placed on the kitchen counter.

"That's not popcorn" She said with a pout.

"Not yet" He replied "You'll have popcorn if you help me to make soup earlier"

She smiled wider, looking at him as he quickly minced a clove of garlic, chopped an onion and peeled a couple of potatoes than cutting them in quarters.

"Here" he said, putting the vegetables into a saucepan and adding two cups of that low sodium veggie broth Cuddy always keep in her cupboard "Put a handful into this" he said nodding to the corn bag as Rachel's little hand disappeared into it "Well. Maybe two or three of them" He laughed as her tiny hand succeeded in taking a small amount of grains, then putting it in the saucepan.

He lifted Rachel in his arms, making her stir the soup with the wooden spoon as she smiled wider at him.

Fine! At least now the older Cuddy was going to kill him _less painfully_. He smiled to himself as Rachel looked at him with thoughtful and questioning eyes as he put some oil in another pan, making her toss a few handfuls of corn kernels in it and then covering it with a lid.

She looked from the pan to House and again from him to the pan till the first crackle caught her attention. One and then another one and then... a lot of them, like fireworks! He couldn't help but laugh at the look in her eyes.

"Popcorn?" She asked with a surprised look as he opened the lid and a few white crispy little balls popped out like bullets, falling on the floor.

"Yeah" He replied as her smile grew even wider and his index found her belly tickling her "Popped corn"

They didn't hear Cuddy entering the kitchen and she just stood there, looking at them, both turned toward the burner. This was one of those moments in which she'd liked to be invisible and just look at them from far, not breaking that magic.

"Whoa!" Rachel exclaimed as House lifted the lid, revealing a mountain of popcorn. She put her arms around his neck so vigorously that he almost choked and Cuddy couldn't help but laugh.

"It looks like someone is feeling better" She chuckled, approaching them as Rachel stretched her arms toward her mother.

"Do you know popcorn is made of corn?" She exclaimed with such a emphasis and bright eyes that Cuddy couldn't help but smile wider.

"Yeah, I think I heard about that" Cuddy laughed holding her daughter tight, looking at House and placing a soft kiss on his lips.

...

* * *

"Western isn't my thing" She said looking up from the paper in her hand and glancing at the screen, then meeting House's gaze.

"This is _not_ _a_ western. This is the quintessence of western!" He replied with a indignant face, furrowing his eyebrows and looking at her as she turned her pen between her fingers then looking down again at the document she was trying to read "Are you telling me you're the only woman who don't fall for Clint's blue eyes?"

A smirk played on her lips but she didn't look up, instead writing a note on the paper. Her smile grew wider as his fingers trailed her leg from her ankle to her calf, stopping a few inches over her knee, teasing her flesh with his thumb.

"Blue eyes are overrated," She teased in turn, gasping as he jerked her legs, making her back hit the coach cushions.

He moved so fast she didn't see that coming, meeting his eyes as his body pressed hers against the sofa and his hands pinned her arms over her head, making her documents fall on the floor and her pen roll somewhere under the coffee table. A _'House!'_ exited her mouth but it didn't sound like a convincing warning, nor her weak attempt to move under him trying to escape his grip. Not that she could succeed anyway. And, actually, not that she really would.

"I have work to do" She tried, again in a not very convincing tone, instead trying his best not to purr at the rubbing of his groin against hers.

"Me too" He replied looking straight into her eyes as she chuckled, inhaling deeply as he purposely rubbed himself against her again.

His mouth found her neck and she couldn't help but moan this time at the feeling of his rough stubble on her soft skin, sighing in both pleasure and anticipation as one of his hand began to unbutton her shirt. Well, actually _his_ shirt. She closed her eyes as his hand parted the two sides of the shirt and the tip of his fingers lightly touched her stomach. He stared at her beautiful face as she inhaled deeply, biting her lower lip as his fingers teased the flesh around her navel, not enough to tickle her but enough for goose bumps to appear on her smooth skin. It was one of the thing that still amazed him. The response of her body to his caresses. It was just the first step of foreplay and it was enough for her breathing to become heavy and her peaked nipples to call for his attention. He loved her habit of wearing his shirts after showering. Even more her habit of wearing them with just a micro thong under them. His mouth found her breast twirling his tongue around that sensitive spot and then sucking on it as her back suddenly arched and her head tilted back. Her hands moved trying to escape his grip, but he didn't let go of her wrists.

How could the sensation of being forced to just take what he gave her being so overwhelming?

She tried her best not to moan loudly but he wasn't making things easy, licking and sucking in such a way that the light rocking of her hips against his erection was almost enough to take her to the brink.

He let go of her as soon as her legs began to tremble, propping on his elbows to look at her.

"You're right, you have to work" He said in a teasing tone, glancing at her soaked thong and finding his side of the couch again, looking for the remote and stretching his legs on the coffee table.

She sat up, glaring at him as he stared instead at the screen in front of him.

"You should be kidding" She said in a sharp tone, her eyes lingering on that biceps of him, stretched by the short sleeve of his grey T-shirt as he pointed the remote to the TV, turning up the volume.

"This soundtrack is a masterpiece," He stated, trying his best to ignore the gaze piercing at the side of his face and at the same time the almost painful erection pressing against the fabric of his black boxers "You know, Maestro Morricone is a genius. Listen! Two keys. And this motif reminding of a coyote howl became -"

He couldn't help the smirk that played on his lips as soon as he turned his head toward her meeting her look. He tossed the remote away and moved on top of her again, making her gasp as his weight pressed her against the cushions.

"Sure I've been kidding" He said as this time his tongue slip through her parted lips finding hers.

She closed her eyes at that feeling, running her fingers along his shoulders and then down to find the hem of his T-shirt, lifting it as her nails scratched his skin.

He let go of her mouth just enough to let her slip his T-shirt over his head, then finding her lips again as her fingers teased instead his lower back, slipping under the rubber band of his boxers and lowering them just enough to free him. He let go of her mouth again, casting her a naughty look as her hand reached between the two of them to stroke him. Not that he needed any help actually, and the thought that she was doing that just for feeling his hard cock in his hand was almost enough to finish him.

"Playtime's over, babe" He whispered on her lips in a hoarse tone, taking her wrist and pinning it up again with one hand as his free hand reached for the front of her panties rushing moving them by side and thrusting into her.

They both gasped in complete bliss as he filled her with everything he had and the slick tightness of her folders wrapped him. There were no games anymore, no foreplays, no sexual thoughts yet. The way in which her hips met every one of his thrust drove him crazy, and according to her struggle to breathe her too. It hadn't planned it but the music in the background was a perfect soundtrack. His pace quickened till the point she wasn't practically breathing anymore, but just gasping, and he thought he could hurt her.

Her fingers dug into his flesh and he couldn't restrain himself anymore as soon as she shuddered and hid her face in the crock of his neck.

"Holy-" He chuckled against her breast as soon as enough air filled his lungs giving him a chance to speak. His forehead still leaning on her sternum as her chest raised and fell quickly and her heart hammered against her ribs. Her eyes still closed and her fingers moving randomly among his hair as they both relaxed in the haze of that afterglow.

He wasn't sure to have energy enough to pull out but she didn't look bothered by that feeling. Her legs still wrapped around his body, keeping him exactly where he was. He smiled to himself at that intimacy, kissing the skin between her breasts and then her lips as he propped on his elbows for support.

"Mom?"

Her eyes opened wide immediately and he pulled out so quickly he almost fell down the couch, turning his head to look at the little girl standing in the doorframe. He met Cuddy's eyes again as she sat up, buttoning just a couple of buttons of the shirt she was still wearing. Well, at least not having removed her underwear came in hand! For him too. He pulled up his boxers and stood up. Luckily she was too young to understand what just happened or to be curious about him not wearing a shirt or about her mother being half naked.

"What?" He asked approaching her and kneeling in front of her to touch her forehead. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes slightly glassy.

"She's burning" He said both to himself and Cuddy, lifting her in his arms and limping to Rachel's bedroom, as she rested her little head on his shoulder.

Cuddy followed them, looking as he took the thermometer from the nightstand and insert the tip into her ear, then looking at it and handing it to Cuddy.

"I gave her Paracetamol just a couple of hours ago" She said, looking at that 103°F with a worried look and then caressing her daughter's hair, meeting House's gaze as he passed the child to her and the little girl wrapped her arms around her mother's neck.

"I'll take some Ibuprofen" He just said, touching Cuddy's shoulder and then disappearing beyond the door.

She appeared on the doorframe of the bathroom while he closed the drugs cabinet. Rachel still in her arms as she settled her trying not to hurt her own back. House looked at Rachel's legs as they swung. She was so weak and tired that she looked like a stuffed doll in her mother's arm, not bothering about making any move and just keeping her head safe in the crook of her neck.

"I really don't feel like leaving her in her bed tonight," Cuddy said, brushing Rachel's hair with her lips and looking at House as he just nodded "if you want to go I understand" she added as he just stared into her eyes this time.

House looked at them as Cuddy moved the sheets by side and Rachel rolled in the bed, then curling at her mom's side as soon as she laid on the bed in turn. He turned the light off, then exiting the room and walking down the corridor. She held Rachel in her arms and closed her eyes as she heard the door closing, trying to relax as her daughter's breathing got deeper.

Her eyes opened again and she turned her head in the dim light of the room as soon as she heard the sound of bare footsteps against the wooden floor and she couldn't help the slight smile that played on her lips.

"I locked the front door" he whispered as his stubble brushed her cheek.

She didn't reply, just looking at his dark shape as he bent on the dresser and took a clean T-shirt from the second drawer. She slightly bit her lower lip, pondering if saying something or not, and deciding for the second way, just savouring the confidence impregnating that silence. She stayed still as the mattress slightly moved under House's weight and just reached for the hand that slid along her forearm, giving it a squeeze and then letting go at that comfortable and safe feeling.

He didn't move, not yet when Rachel rolled in the bed, giving her back to her mother and instead curling against his side. He just stayed there. Eyes fixed on the ceiling as the only sound in the darkness of the room were the slow and calm breathing of the two persons he loved more.

 _Was this one of the shade of happiness?_ He inhaled the scent of Rachel's hair, placing a soft kiss on the top of her head and just stayed there, motionless, unless for the thumb gently caressing Cuddy's forearm.

How could this sensation be so fulfilling? This wasn't sex. This wasn't passion. These were just two girls asleep in his arms. _His_ girls. Shit! The power of a possessive adjective!

In less than two years they had destroyed his certainties. People don't change, right? And he wasn't but... it was like they had blown on the ashes of a fire, awakening the sleeping embers beneath.

He could deny it in front of everyone but not himself. He knew where home was.


	9. Dead man

**CHAPTER 9 - Dead man**

 **...**

* * *

"Cuddy?"

She turned to Wilson as soon as she heard her name, handing the folder to the nurse behind the counter and then looking at the oncologist as he approached her.

"Do you know where House is?" He asked.

"Obviously not here" She replied dryly, taking a pen from her white coat pocket and signing the paper the nurse handed her then looking at her friend again with a softer look "I haven't seen him all morning" She added as Wilson just nodded in what was a silent 'ok, thank you'.

She looked at him as he walked away, then stopping after a few steps and turning toward her again, running a hand in his hair.

"You know we're talking about House, right?" He asked as she gave him a questioning look.

"The man I sleep with?" She asked in an ironic tone "Or the one I pay a salary to? Because, you know, sometime it looks like I pay him a salary just to sleep with me, and I don't think that sounds good"

She tried her best not to smile at Wilson's expression. Or she was turning in an alternate version of her boyfriend or she was beginning to understand how it felt like to make fun of Wilson.

"Don't worry, I know him, Wilson" She said, trying to reassure him as he nodded and turned again, taking another step away just for turning a third time to face her a second later.

"Did he take you out for dinner?" He asked out of the blue as Cuddy gave him a questioning look "Roses?" He tried as her gaze just got more puzzled.

"What did he do?" She asked as this time her eyes pierced his so sharply that he regretted having started that conversation "Wilson?" She insisted, as he raised his hands in defense this time.

"Nothing. He didn't do his work. Nothing new, right?"

Her lips parted and she stared into his eyes.

"Did he -? Did he use those exact words?" She asked as this time he was the one giving her a puzzled look.

He looked at her as she turned to the nurse, signing another paper and having a few words with her before turning to face him again. She didn't say anything, just looking at him and them walking away as he ran a hand in his hair. _Why couldn't he just mind his own business?_

...

* * *

Cuddy opened the door of the nurses' room, slightly smiling at the view of House resting on the sofa, his arm covering his eyes and his feet on the armrest. She had checked his office, the coma ward and the morgue so this was the last place on her list.

She filled a glass of water and slightly moved his legs to make room for herself, meeting his look as his eyes opened.

"Tell my child I loved it" He said in a melodramatic tone as she just stared at him.

"I'm not pregnant," she replied in a flat tone handing him a pill "so you're not allowed to die yet" she added as he glared at her taking the red pill from her hand and turning it between his fingers.

"You're evil" He said, looking at that pill of phenylephrine and swallowing it "Have you brought me a blue pill too?" He asked with a naughty look despite his red-rimmed blue eyes and his running nose.

Her hand smacked his shoulder and he gave her a glare, then massaging his sore arm.

"Ouch! You really are evil, woman!" He said again, still trying to hit her guilty side.

She rolled her eyes instead, giving him a bothered look despite the way in which the corners of her lips curled up slightly.

"My head is killing me and my breasts ache. Don't worry, you'll be safe for the next five days" She said running a hand on her neck and then looking at him with a softer look "Anyway, why do I need a baby when I already have a fifty-year-old baby?" She asked with a smile kissing his forehead as he tilted his head back looking for her lips.

"No way" She chuckled "Keep your bugs for yourself!" She added as he pouted and she rolled her eyes again.

His arm wrapped her waist pulling her toward him and she couldn't help but smile wider.

"You don't mind about my bugs when they came in liquid form" He teased cupping one of her buttocks and giving it a squeeze as she couldn't resist the temptation to find his lips this time, lingering on them a bit longer than a quick kiss would have required.

He smiled as she stroke his stubble, then standing up, looking down at him again as he took her hand preventing her from leaving.

"If you need a _special_ dose of phenylephrine you know where to find me" He said in a very naughty tone as she couldn't help but smile, bending over to place another soft kiss on his lips.

...

* * *

"Mom?"

Cuddy turned to her daughter, wiping her hands in a dishcloth.

"Is Howse dying?" Rachel asked as Cuddy's eyes rolled.

"If I kill him, yes" She replied meeting her child's big eyes and sighing "but no, he's not dying. He just got a cold" she added as Rachel let out a sigh of relief and ran in the living room again.

Cuddy followed her, looking at Rachel as she sat down in front of the coffee table again, taking the metal tweezers and pointing them toward him.

"You're not dying. You can't play twice. It's my turn" she said to him in a very Cuddy-ish way, somehow threateningly to be honest, then looking down at the board game and trying to focus on pulling out the rubber band from the patient's knee without making its nose buzz.

"Are you leveraging on her pity to win an 'Operation' round?" Cuddy asked as House gave her an annoyed look.

"It works with you" He said as she ran her tongue on her lips "I'm sick. My hand trembles".

"It's called senile tremor" She replied.

Never making fun of him. Never. His arm reached for her so fast that her attempt to escape was totally worthless and she was plunged belly-up on the couch before she could see that coming.

"Thank her" he said with a diabolic and naughty look at the same time, turning his head to wink at Rachel and then bending down to suck her neck "If we were alone you weren't got away so easily" He whispered in her ear as she chuckled.

He let go of her meeting Rachel's amused look and wincing at her again.

"C'mon great surgeon" he teased handing the tweezers to Cuddy.

She held his gaze taking them from his hand and focusing on the _broken heart_.

"I could bet you were going for that" He teased as she didn't turn to look at him "You're a specialist of broken hearts" He teased again as she ignored him.

She gripped the little piece of plastic and slowly began to pull it out, stopping though as House's fingers almost innocently moved under her shirt and ran along her spine, tracing every one of her vertebras.

He held back a smile as she closed her eyes, trying her best for not shivering but miserably failing in it as his hand reached her lower back slipping under her yoga pants and into her panties to tease the line between her buttocks.

"Holy-" She couldn't help the shiver that ran along her spine, and to her lady parts to be honest.

She met Rachel's bright eyes as she pointed at the lighting red nose and she couldn't help but laugh, smacking House's knee at the same time.

"My turn," He said with a smug smile "better for your mom to keep assigning parking spaces, kiddo" he said gaining a glare from Cuddy.

"Which one?" He asked to Rachel as she pointed with her little index to the _'bread basket'_.

Predictable! Her favourite ones were the broken heart, the butterfly, the Adam's apple and the slice of toasted bread, the one in the basket indeed. And well, the rubber band of course. The last one because it was the most easy for her to pull out.

"Here" He said giving another smug look to Cuddy as Rachel clapped " _Bread_ for you, honey" he teased, putting the little white slice of bread in Cuddy's hand as she held his gaze, running her tongue on her lips.

She just took it with the tip of her fingers and stood up, patting his shoulder and putting the little piece of plastic in his palm again, bending down to kiss his cheek.

"Pulling a bun out of the _bread basket_ is easier than putting it into, right?" She whispered in his ear, teasing him in turn with a very naughty tone.

He looked at her as she gave him a warm smile despite her sharp innuendo, kissing his lips this time and then leaving them at their game.

"Take _the wish bone_ for me, kiddo" He said out loud "I think I need it" he added as Rachel smiled wider.

...

* * *

House looked at Cuddy's hand as it reached for her lower back, rubbing it for a few seconds before coming back to put the dishes in the dishwasher. He didn't asked... actually he didn't need to, and just rubbed the back of his head pondering if saying something or just shut up, still looking at her as she closed the dishwasher and reached for the cupboard over the stove, the one out of Rachel's reach, taking the blue box and swallowing two pills of Advil.

It was clear that the baby-thing was something harder he had thought. And no puns intended here.

He scratched his nape again. What was he supposed to do? Avoiding the subject? Ignoring it for the next five days? Playing things down? A pun? An innuendo just to make her laugh despite the pain and the delusion? Maybe for once it was better to show his soft side, if he had one...

He stood up, wrapping his arms around her body, brushing her hair with his lips and then bending his head to kiss the side of her neck.

"Not tonight, Greg" she said as her shoulders stiffened.

Shit! Maybe the 'soft side' hadn't been a good idea! Even without the annoyed tone of her voice, that "Greg" was a clear red flag.

"What have I done?" He asked in a soft tone as her shoulders relaxed, actually more because of guilty than regret.

She bent her head toward him, allowing him to stay there, and her hands found his, still wrapped around her waist. Rhetorical question anyway. Actually... again, _what haven't I done?_ He repeated in his mind.

"I'm sorry" she whispered, leaning the back of her head against his chest as he kissed her hair again "I don't feel well"

"That bad?" He asked as her head slightly moved in a _'more or less'_ way.

"Bad" she whispered then turning in his arms to face him, putting her arms around his neck and resting her forehead against his chest, trying her best not to focus on the white-hot pain throbbing in her lower belly and radiating to her back, tightening her kidneys. A clear reminder of why she was on the pill for years.

"Take a bath" he said stroking her shoulders " Rach and I have a level to pass. Zelda have no chance to be freed if it's just for you"

She sighed and laughed at the same time, lingering again in his hug.

"You're gonna get her stupid with that stuff" She sighed looking up at him as instead he  
chuckled, brushing his lips against her hair.

"Yeah, it worked for me, right?" He replied as she smiled again, kissing his chest and savouring the warm of his arms around her again.

She exited the bathroom almost an hour later, untying her ponytail and meeting him in the hallway as he left Rachel's bedroom. They just looked at each other, silently heading to the bedroom as he took off his shirt. To be honest they hadn't talked about living together but it was clear now they already do. A pair of reading glasses was on his nightstand, together with the magazine he had left there from the previous night and the one before that, his clothes were in the dresser together with hers and in the washing machine together with hers. She hadn't asked, he hadn't asked, it had just happened. And it wasn't that bad to share this new kind of intimacy. The one that come from seeing somebody every day, at their best and worse. To find out he likes the Cuddy in a lace outfit as much as the one in a 'anti-rape' oversize flannel pajamas. His lips curled up imperceptibly as she took exactly that pajamas from the drawer, looking at it for a fraction of second and then taking instead one of his T-shirt.

She turned to him, nonchalantly untying the sash of her bathrobe and making it slip along her arms as his eyes moved from her white cotton panties to her naked breast. Yeah, for sure this was the part of that intimacy he liked more!

"Stop it!"

He looked up at the firm tone of her voice, locking eyes with her as she put _his_ shirt on.

"I'd have to be blind. Even if, well, according to that guy on an altar my mother forced me to met on Sunday I should have been blind for 37 years now, so -"

She rolled her eyes and couldn't help the smile that curled up one of the corners of her lips.

"I wasn't talking about you staring at my boobs" she said with an half bothered half amused look "Stop looking at me like you're afraid I'm gonna fall apart at any moment. I'm not the _stuffed-animal-made-by-Grandma_ kind of woman"

Funny choice of words... He looked at her as she joined him under the sheets, settling her pillow and resting her back against it.

"We agreed on taking this easy, right? This making-a-baby thing," she pointed out as if she needed to "Am I a little sad because we didn't succeed in it? I am. Am I upset because of this annoying pain? I am. But you're not gonna find me crying in the bathroom, House! So, stop tiptoeing around me! I'm not mad at you. Well, I'm mad at you if I can't find you in the Clinic when you should be right there. And I'm mad at you when you bother me with your stupid requests a minute earlier my meeting with the new future new president of the Board,"

She turned to him with a softer look.

"That's the only _job_ I want you to do, House" she said taking his hand as he intertwined his fingers with hers "Am I been clear?" She said in an authoritative tone despite the smile that played on her lips.

"Yes, mistress" He seriously replied, though welcoming her lips as his arms wrapped her and they lay down under the sheets.

"Anyway those dinner and roses will be welcomed" She teasingly said as their mouths parted, looking at him as he closed his eyes for a moment.

"Wilson?" He asked, despite he didn't need to, staring at her smile and nod.

Their lips met again in a soft and slow kiss.

"You know I never lose, right?" He said on her lips, looking into her eyes as they rolled and she tried to escape the grip of his arms around her body.

"It's not a game" She said, this time unable to hide the upset flash in her eyes.

He just tightened the grip, pulling her again to himself.

"What if it is?" He said with a very naughty look as she gave him a puzzled look instead.

"You call. I come" he said with a mischievous look "Pun intended" He pointed out as if the naughty gaze he had given her had left her doubts about what he meant.

In response she rolled her eyes again, letting out a sigh.

"I'm serious, Cuddy!" He said unable not to chuckle at the look in her eyes "We should focus a little more on the target"

She stared at him as he stared back and she just chuckled in turn, shaking her head.

"Do you want me to call you every time my basal temperature raises or me to check my cervical mucus, Dr. House?" She ironically asked giving him a _'you're not serious at all'_ look.

"I want a baby with you, Dr. Cuddy" He replied instead, in a so soft tone that her smile faded and her lips parted "and having sex on your desk"

She smiled this time, nodding and biting her lower lip. This was her man. She loved the caring one but even more she loved the way in which he could make her laugh.

"I don't want you to get sick of that"

He was the one laughing this time. And she haven't said no either.

"Do you really think I can get sick of sex, Cuddy?" He kissed her lips again then turning the light off and making her roll and rest her back against his chest, spooning her as she curled up.

Was there a better feeling than his arms around her?

She wrapped his arm tighter around her body, just savouring that warmth and purring at the sensation of his breathing on her hair.

Well, she had lied. She liked the caring side of him as much as the teasing one. The feeling of his thumb caressing her forearm was simply incredible. That wasn't sex. That was just her man cuddling her.

He just stayed there, listening at the sound of her breathing. Yeah, he wasn't a cuddling man. Wasn't. Past tense. His thumb grazed her skin again, just savouring that touch.

She opened her eyes as his stubble brushed against the soft skin of her neck, tickling her and pulling her back from the sleep that was already wrapping her.

"I'll wait for my pager to went off" He teasingly whispered in her ear kissing her skin as a slight smile played on her lips.

...

* * *

"Dr Cuddy?"

She turned to Nurse Jeffrey, meeting his look. 9.30 am and he had already called her three times for the most insignificant reasons. Why had he always to be so irritating? She tried to hide her disappointment under a welcoming look. That man really needed to get laid.

 _... Yeah, perfect, Lisa, now you have to hide a disappointed and disgusted look after a welcoming one!_

She pushed that thought away and just lifted her eyebrows waiting for him to speak.

"The men's restroom on the first floor," he said "it looked like some _kid_ left the faucets opened. The floor is a pool. Somebody could get hurt"

"Ok, I'll give a look" she just replied, nodding and then turning on her heels, heading to the elevator.

She stared at the handwritten paper on the door. _Out of order._

Her eyes closed and her lips pressed one against the other one in a thin line before they parted to let out a sigh.

 _Shit._ The floor was a mess. She took a mental note of killing him... later.

She rolled her eyes as soon as she caught sight of him. Well, not that she didn't know he was there!

"What the hell are you doing?" She said as he approached her doing his best not to slip.

"Fulfilling one of your fantasy" he replied taking her arm and pulling her in a hidden corner behind the wall separating the toilets from the sinks. She tried to escape his grip. Not in a very convincing way to be honest.  
His arms trapped her between his body and the wall and she just gave him a glare.

 _Well, played, Cuddy!_ He smirked to himself. He could have bought it, if it wasn't for the blush that slightly reddened her cheeks and neck.

"Two of your fantasies," he pointed out with a smirk "killing me and getting down on me" he said staring into her eyes "well, not in this order or you'd turn in a necroph-"

"Oh, shut up!"

Her hand gripped his shirt pulling him even more to herself and her mouth found his so fast he almost gasped. His tongue found hers in turn as he pressed her more against the wall.

Their deal was still on the table like it had been in the past two months. Again without any success though. He wasn't sure she really was going to agree... till the first time she had reproached him in the middle of the Clinic waiting room with a _"House, in my office, now!"_ , gaining a satisfied look from Nurse Jeffrey. _If he only knew!_

"You're not supposed to be turn on by a disapproving employee," he teasingly whispered on her lips pinning her wrists up and finding her neck, sucking on it till she moaned.

"Don't leave a mark" she whispered in a fraction of clear head, then gasping again at another assault of his mouth.

He just smirked on her skin, letting go of her wrists as her hands found the back of his head and her fingers slipped among his hair.

He wasn't going to leave a mark. Not there.

He kissed her throat, kissing his way down her jugular and sternum and stopping at the end of her V-neck blouse. He was dying for unbuttoning her shirt exposing her breasts but the door wasn't locked and it was a risk they couldn't take. His hands found the hem of her shirt lifting it enough to kiss her belly as he lifted her skirt too looking up at her with a teasing gaze. His fingers slipped under the elastic band of her thong then making it slid along her legs and heels, balling it up in his fist and making it disappear into his jeans pocket.

"I thought I was the one who was gonna go d-"

Her whisper faded, replaced by God's name and a gasp as his mouth found her most intimate spot.  
She just tilted her head back, pressing it against the wall as her fingers gripped his hair more.

When he had suggested that at first she had thought he was kidding. Well, not about his fantasy of taking her on her desk but... she had never thought about adding _sex duty_ to his clinic duty. It had begun like a game and she had to admit it really was a turn on. Knowing that she just had to page him to have her way with him as her hospital ran.

She still remembered the _"I'm ovulating. Let's go"_ she had ironically told him in the hospital parking lot... Well, the last thing she thought was that years later she would have told him the same without him running for the hills.

"House, we shouldn't... not here"

Her hand found his cheek making him looking up at her.

Here it was. Her rational side.

He stood up to look straight into her eyes. One hand still on her hip and the other one leaning on the wall.

"We haven't been having sex for three days. We definitely should," he said staring at her as she stared back for a second, biting on her lower lip.

Yeah... she had worked late and then he had worked late... and once they thought of finally having a night for themselves Rachel had run to them because of a nightmare. He was right! Fuck off rationality!

Her hands found his hair again and her mouth his tongue as he quickly made her spin, cupping her butt and lifting her enough to sit her on the sink.

How could a quickie have the same taste of sweet lovemaking they both still couldn't tell.

He looked at their reflection in the mirror. His jeans still hanging around his knees, her legs still wrapped around his hips and her face hidden in the crock of his neck. He couldn't see her look but he could feel her smile against his skin as she relaxed in the afterglow and he relaxed inside her.

He kissed the crown of her head and she just looked up, grazing his lips in soft kiss and caressing his nape as their eyes locked again.

"How much dead am I?" He teasingly asked glancing at the floor and then again into her eyes.

"Are you asking at your girlfriend or your boss?" She replied with a smirk as he pulled out and began to button his jeans as she just rested her back against the mirror.

"Is someone there?"

Their eyes widened and they stared at each other at Lou's voice coming from the door.

Cuddy hopped down the sink, quickly settling her skirt and blouse and turning to glance at herself in the mirror, running a hand in her hair and then glancing again at House.

"It's me, Lou" she just said in a firm tone meeting the janitor's eyes "better for the one who made this mess if I don't catch him! I almost got a broken leg"

The man looked at her as she approached him trying not to slip on the wet floor, then stopping in front of him as his eyes moved up from her heels and legs to her eyes.

"Please, clean it as soon as possible"

He just nodded, keeping the door open for her as she passed through it and near him ignoring the stare she could feel on her ass as she walked away. He followed her walking then turning in the opposite direction of Cuddy, heading to the storage closet.

House just watched him disappearing into that room and exiting a second later with his cleaning cart.

"Holy fuck!" He said out loud, looking at the bathroom door in front of him and bowing his head, leaning on his cane and then turning to him with a glare "Nobody care about a fucking cripple anymore!" He said as Lou just gave him a 'not-my-fault' look.

House sighed again, turning and limping away with an extra limp as he could feel Lou's eyes staring at his back. His hand slipped in his pocket, finding the soft fabric in it and a smirk played on his lips as he headed to the elevator.

...

* * *

Cuddy slammed the clinic room opened glaring at House! No patients! Not that she didn't already know it actually! Again she took a mental note to yell at him for that later. It wasn't the reason why she was there!

"Gimme time, woman. I'm not twenty anymore!"

She just glared at him, closing the door behind her back and taking a few steps in the room.

"What the hell is this?" She asked in a somehow dried and bothered tone stretching her left arm toward him.

"My cell," He replied sitting up on the examination bed on which he was lying till she had disturbed his nap "and whatever you found in it it's Wilson's" he added as she obviously rolled her eyes beginning a mental countdown from 10 to 0.

She sighed loudly tossing it to him as the cell dangerously bounced from one of his hand to the other one before he stopped it in his lap.

"Are you really monitoring my period?" She asked with a bothered tone running a hand on her face and then giving him another glare.

"It's a smart app. Even smarter when it warns me of your premenstrual mood swings," he smirked trying to tease her as instead she sighed again, letting her arms fall along her sides.

She trapped her lip between her teeth. _Holy cow! Why everything had to turn in an obsession for him?_

 _Shit!_ If he didn't knew her well he could almost think she was about to cry... Her hand ran on her face again and she inhaled deeply then letting the air slowly exit from her lips.

"Hey,"

She looked at him as he approached her and his hand found her hip.

"Where's the woman who just asked me for a consult?" He teased as her lips curled up at the image that appeared in her mind.

 _That Clinic room._

 _Three heads turned toward her as she stopped on the doorframe and stared at House, sit on the examination table, busy in a talk with his team as his legs swung back and forth._

 _"I need a consult" She just said, looking at him and holding the folder tighter against her chest as he just stared back, twirling between his fingers a pen and then putting the cap on it._

 _He had tossed the pen to Foreman's leaving the team with a 'I want a test result for when I'm back' and a 'don't you dare to bother me again till you have it' and he had hopped down the bed, approaching Cuddy and taking the folder from her hand, looking again at the team till the door closed._

 _"I'll take the almond chicken and a coke. No alcohol allowed in work time" He said with a smirk handing her back the folder as she smiled in turn._

 _"Not what I was thinking you were gonna take" She replied with a naughty gaze, locking the door behind her._

 _He stared back at her with a teasing look as her hands slipped along his shoulders then stopping around his neck._

 _"I thought you needed a consult, Dr. Cuddy" he teasingly asked raising an eyebrow._

 _"I do," she replied as her tongue ran on her lips and her hands along his shirt stopping on the buckle of his belt "Plough or doggy?" She said as both her eyebrows raises this time._

 _"Tell me you're not talking of yoga positions" He asked wrapping his arms more around her waist and finding her tongue before she could reply._

His arms wrapped he waist in the exact same way looking for her mouth but just grazing her lips in a soft kiss this time.

"A good consult, right?" He asked still looking into her eyes with a mischievous smile as she nodded.

"You're so predictable" She replied as this time a smile played on her lips.

"Just one of my obsessions" He said as she smiled wider, kissing his lips again but gently freeing herself from the grip of his arms.

He looked at the arm stretched toward him, palm-up, and just placed the right mobile on it with a smirk, then watching her as she exited the door and took a few steps along the hallway.

"Dr. Cuddy?"

She turned to him again as soon as he called her from the doorframe, still holding the door he had kept open for her.

"Just remember I did _double_ _duty_ in the last two months" he said loud enough that Nurse Jeffrey raised his head and looked at them.

A half smile played on her lips and she bit on her lower lip.

"You're so dead" She mouthed staring at him as he stared back till she turned on her heels.

He glanced at Nurses Jeffrey, then watching her walking along the hallway as he couldn't help the curl up of one of the corner of his lips.


	10. The boss

**CHAPTER 10 - The boss**

 **...**

* * *

"Howse, come"

House looked up from his magazine glancing, over the rim of his reading glasses, at the little girl in a green pajamas who had just hopped in front of him.

"Not now, shorty" He just replied, settling his heels better on the coffee table and looking down again, underlining a sentence with the pencil and trying to regain the flow of his thoughts.

"Come!" Rachel said again "Come. Come. Cooooome!" She almost shouted, stretching every _'come'_ with a little jump then standing there with her hands on her hips and a bossy look, as House turned instead to stare at his girlfriend.

"Isn't one of you two enough?"

Cuddy didn't reply, just smiling and removing the towel wrapped around her head like a turban so her wet curls fell on her shoulders.

"Pleeeese, comeeeeee" Rachel tried again this time with puppy eyes, again jumping up and down as her hands met in front of her chest in a plead.

House couldn't help but let out what sounded halfway between a chuckle and a snort, then looking at Cuddy again.

"Well, at least you don't have to plead for me to come" he said with a teasing smirk as she rolled her eyes, running her tongue on her lips, trying in turn to suppress a smile.

She looked at him as he stood up, placing the magazine on the sofa and reaching for her, or better for her ass, giving a little squeeze to one of her buttocks.

"Well... I plead," she teased in turn as he gave her a naughty look, wrapping her waist with one arm and bending down to place a soft kiss on her neck as her curls tickled his nose.

"And it's such a turn on, boss" he whispered in her ear, grazing her skin again and then letting go of her.

She bit her lower lip at the gaze in his eyes. Their eyes still locked as he took Rachel's hand. Not that he had any chance of choice anyway, since a little hand was now pulling the fabric of his sweatpants, right behind his thigh.

"Ok, mini boss. Let's go" He finally said with a sigh letting her pulling his arm toward her bedroom.

...

* * *

"Wipe that smirk off your face, Cuddy,"

Cuddy turned toward the voice annoyingly reproaching her and just gave him a shrug, though repressing a smile.

"What?" She asked, feigning innocence as she placed back the object in her hand on his desk, somehow hidden between a pile of medical magazines waiting for attention and a vertebra-shaped pen holder full of enough pencils to make it to retirement.

"There's a 99 percent chance I paid the cleaning guy to hit it accidentally" House said, again in a harsh tone despite the amused flare that lit his gaze.

"No, you didn't" She teased him, holding his haze as he just stared back.

 _Yeah, he didn't._ And actually he was still asking himself why.

"Admit it, House," she teased again "She bosses you around"

He sighed loudly this time, glaring at Cuddy despite it wasn't a very convincing glare to be honest, then glancing at what Rachel had given him just the night earlier. He couldn't help but smile to himself. She had made him promising to place it _on_ his desk. Not just in his office. (In the trash can was _'in his office'_ , right? And even in the back of the drawer under his desk, right?). No. She had been clear. Not in his office... _on_ his desk. And he had to admit she was really really smart sometime. Or just, she knew him better than he thought.

He watched that object for the thousandth time on that morning. _Fuck! It caught his attention every time he sat there and looked up!_

She had waited for him to sit down on her ' _Jake and the nevertheless_ _pirates_ ' bed sheets and then had handed him what looked like a gift wrapped in coloured paper kept together by a ton of adhesive tape. He had wondered if he was going to face another heart-shaped pancakes pan, like the one he had had from her just a week earlier on his birthday. _What was that for? It wasn't his birthday anymore... and it was still 6 month till Christmas or her Hanukkah..._

 _Shit!_

Maybe he was putting too many meanings into what was just an handmade schoolwork. Children were used to that, right? It's what they usually do at the kindergarten, together with singing boring roundelays and putting their fingers in their noses.

He swallowed, staring at that object. A somehow lopsided picture frame made of ice-cream wooden sticks kept together by too much glue and painted in bright colours like only a daltonic guy would have done. A drawing was inside it in place of a picture. Two big heads with even bigger smiles, a pink one and a blue one. And just in case he could have some doubts about it a "I (heart) DAD" was there in capital crooked letters.  
 _Fuck!_

 _Father's day._

Maybe if he and Cuddy succeed in the making-a-baby thing he was gonna have to be used to it. To it and to messes of glue and painting and licked wooden sticks like that.

Fuck! The farest thing from what could be called _art_... and yet...

He looked again at that _heart_ between the word I and Dad...

 _What the hell! Was it pride?_

A somehow polka-dot heart. For everyone a red heart in which an anti-conformist child had added four black dots in a way that it looked like an upside down lady bug...

Cuddy looked as a tiny smirk played on his lips curling one of the corner of his lips almost imperceptibly, but didn't say anything as a warmth filled her own heart. She knew what he was thinking about.

 _The pan._

The heart-shaped pan Rachel had wanted to buy for House's birthday.

Cuddy's inner smile grew bigger at the thought of how she had had to let him regaining his manhood after a gift which in a way was such an outrage to his masculinity. Unexpectedly, relentlessly, against her desk... but this was another story...

 _... "Do you know this isn't really an heart?" He had said to Rachel as she just looked from him to the pan with a quizzical look._

 _There. Her first lesson of cardiac anatomy. The cardiac muscle with its two atria and ventricles... scrabbled with a pencil on a paper napkin._

So... no, that wasn't a polka-dot heart. It was a heart with its four chambers. Well... Rachel's version of it. And she couldn't tell if she was prouder of the influence he had on the little girl or she on him.

She just looked at him again and then at her watch, giving him a half smile as she headed to the door, passing near him and placing a hand on his elbow.

"I have to go. The Board is gonna vote for the new President in less than half an hour,"

She just squeezed his arm, looking at him as he nodded, then walking toward the door.

"I'm not her Dad"

Cuddy stopped there where she was before her heel touched the hallway floor.

"I'm not her...parent" He said again as soon as she turned and their eyes locked.

She just stared at him, unexpectedly giving him a soft and teasing smile instead of the annoyed one he was ready to have.

"Biologically speaking?" She nonchalantly asked "Me neither"

...

* * *

House looked at Cuddy as she entered the cafeteria, not looking around but just heading to the counter, still busy in a talk with a tall man in a dark blue suit.

He hadn't heard of her all morning. Not that he feared she could disappear, but lately it was weird not to hear from her all day, even more in a certain time of the month. And actually, well, lately _'weird'_ were even their encounters. She worked late, often coming home so tired she barely reached the bed before falling asleep, and she woke up so early he could hardly tell if it was early morning or late night. He didn't think sex could have become 'weird'... and even less a sort of job. Sex in her office was exciting and tasted like all the forbidden things taste but... it was quick and, well, more focused on the target than on really enjoying it. Sometimes he thought she was more nervous and irritable than satisfied after it.

"Who's that guy?" House asked still looking at his girlfriend and at the man who had just paid for her lunch as Wilson turned his head to look at them.

"Uhm..." he mumbled something incomprehensible and then swallowed, looking at his friend "Er... Eric Dickson, the new president of the board,"

In his late forty. Tall, blue eyes and plentiful blond hair. Maybe too plentiful. Maybe to blond.

"It looks like you chose him on 90210 cast" He said staring at that guy as Wilson replied with a grin.

"It looks like someone is jealous"

...

* * *

House's page went off and he reached for it, staring at the ID and standing up from his office chair as his team just looked at their boss' walk toward the elevator.

"I really didn't think I was gonna get sick of sex" House said opening the door of Cuddy's office and glaring at her.

 _What-?_

She didn't say that _'what?'_ out loud but he could tell it in her gaze. She didn't open her mouth to speak yet, but she tilted her head almost imperceptibly, her shoulders stiffened and her jaw clenched again in that way that just he could tell.

"Your budget report," She said instead "I asked you 30 times in the last month and I had 30 _'ok'_ as answer. I'm pretty sure I didn't miss all the 30 of them in my inbox so I'm asking you again. I need it in..." she checked her watch then looking up at him again "funny..." she said locking eyes with him but not smiling despite her words "30 minutes".

 _Shit!_ _  
_She was pissed off. On a 1-10 scale... well... 11. And something in her gaze made him think that it wasn't just because of that report.

 _Why couldn't he just keep his mouth shut sometimes?!_

"Well, Cuddy, in 30 minutes I can give you much more than a report" he said looking at her with a mischievous look.

"I will be ok with that report, thank you" she replied looking into his eyes "I feel sick for both of us right now"

He looked at her with a raised eyebrow and she rolled her eyes, letting out a loud and exasperated sigh.

"And NO, I'm not pregnant!" She stood up, glaring at him and running a hand on her forehead, then looking away as she turned toward the window "Now, leave!"

 _Shit!_

"Leave! ...please..." She just repeated as that plead left her lips in a whisper.

 _Shit, shit, shit!_

He looked at her back and just nodded. Not that she could see that nod anyway. He stared at her for a few seconds. He surely didn't need an app on his mobile for that kind of mood swing... He just turned, glancing at her one more time as he closed the door.

...

* * *

"Are you serious?" House asked in a half disconsolate and half bothered tone.

"I know it's three days in a row but I really have to..."

"... sleep, Cuddy! Rest" He pointed out finishing that sentence in her place "Preferentially in our bed after mind-blowing sex"

She rolled her eyes at him.

"Is that your idea of resting?" She said in a sarcastic tone.

"I'm tired of sleeping alone" He said in what sounded harder than he wanted.

"Don't be melodramatic" She said, keeping to pull documents out of her leather bag and ignoring him except for the half smile which played on her lips.

"I'm not. And you're definitely overworking"

She snorted, avoiding his gaze and running a hand on her forehead, then looking at the stack of documents now on the coffee table.

"I'm sorry" She just said, putting her herbal tea on it and sitting down leg-crossed on the sofa, then placing her computer on her lap.

...

* * *

"What are you doing here?" House said dryly as soon as he entered the differential room and put his backpack in the closer empty chair.

Wilson looked at him with a half puzzled and a half annoyed look.

"All the symptoms lead to a paraneoplastic syndrome. You're late and you look awful, House." He said looking at the dark shadows under his eyes. "Troubles in heaven?"

"It's not a paraneoplastic syndrome" He answered, actually not answering his question and tossing the test results on the table, then leaning his cane against the back of the chair in front of him.

"Can't you stand Cuddy's pace, House?" Chase ironically said, lifting one eyebrow in a mischievous look then letting out a laugh, shaking his head and meeting House's glare.

"I perfectly stand hers," He said sitting down on the chair with a thud, stretching his long legs in front of himself "It's not Cuddy the woman I slept with tonight!"

They all looked at him with a O-shaped mouth as Wilson almost spilled the coffee from the cup in front of himself.

"Wha-"

He didn't finish that _'what'_ as they all met Cuddy's gaze and the room immediately turned silent. She stood on the doorframe looking at them and just running her tongue on her lips as they all closed their mouth staring at her.

She stared back, then looking at House.

"Glad to see you again" He said as Cuddy ignored the not-hidden sarcasm in his voice and instead turned her head to look at Wilson.

"I tried to page you" she said glancing at the pager on the oncologist's belt and then again at his eyes "Do you have a minute? I need a consult"

She didn't turned at the ironic and familiar chuckle behind her back.

"Well, that sound somehow funny, Cuddy" House said looking straight into her eyes as she just glanced at him then turning to Wilson again.

"Er... sure" Wilson replied, standing up and looking again from House to Cuddy as she looked at him with a quizzical look.

"Don't wait for me in the Clinic," House said looking at Cuddy "my leg overworked tonight" he said as she stared at him.

"Fine! But you'll be the one sleeping on the couch tonight" she dryly replied holding his gaze.

"I'm not the man because of whom you slept on the couch last night and the one before th-"

"Er... enough!" Wilson said, looking at them both and raising his hands "We're still here!" He said looking at them with a reproachful look.

"Yeah..." Cuddy said, looking at him and glancing at House "See you later" She added, still looking at him before turning and heading to the door.

House looked at her and at Wilson as he followed her in his own office. And Wilson studied Cuddy too, actually more focused on her than on the folder in front of him.

A silk white blouse not transparent enough to let see her underwear. A V-neck deep enough to show her cleavage just when she bent down... something he actually didn't remember her to do purposely in front of anyone else than House. A dark blue pencil skirt. The usual Cuddy. She didn't look more tired, nor sadder or angrier or happier than every other day. For sure she didn't look like someone who-

"Fine" She said closing the folder in front of her and giving Wilson a half-puzzled look as he almost startled "I'll repeat the tests, then. Thank you, James" She said again, standing up and heading to the door.

Her hand reached for the handle but she didn't turn it, stopping at the sound of her first name behind her back and turning again to look at Wilson.

"What's wrong between the two of you?"

She looked at him with a questioning look, fidgeting with the bracelet on her wrist.

"I mean... it's not of my business but... did you really sleep on the couch last night?" He asked as he couldn't hide the shade of discomfort in his voice.

"Er... yeah, but..."

He snorted so loudly she left the sentence mid-air. Wilson's arms raised so abruptly she almost took a step back.

"Oh c'mon! So? Did you-?" He ran a hand in his hair avoiding her eyes "Shit, Cuddy! SHIT! And... because of another man?"

Her eyes grew bigger and she opened her mouth to reply but he gave her no time to do that.

"Do you know what's bad than cheating on House? Hurting him! He gave you all himself. He detoxified for you. He's like a father for your daughter. I know he somehow loves her! And for sure he loves YOU! He trusted you! How could you -"

He stopped as the door suddenly opened and they both turned to look toward it.

Cuddy met House's gaze as his gaze moved instead from her to Wilson and again to her.

"What the hell did you tell him?" She asked in a bothered tone staring right into his eyes.

"What?" He asked her, looking at her with a half-puzzled and half-amused look despite the way in which she wasn't smiling at all "I'm innocent"

She stared at him with the same look.

"You definitely aren't," she said in a sharp and harsh tone "since he just call me a slut!"

House looked at her and then at his friend with a questioning look.

"What? Have you called my girlfriend a slut?" He asked with a probing tone pointing a finger toward him.

Wilson almost started, raising both arms again, this time more in defense than charge.

"Oh, wait! Wait!" He said shaking his head "I haven't called her a slut! I..."

He looked at them both, his eyes moving from Cuddy, standing in front of him with her arms folded on her chest, to House and his index finger still threateningly pointing at him.

"You said Cuddy hasn't been the woman you slept with last night... that she slept on the couch because of a man that wasn't you and that-"

He was moving his hands fast now, talking as fast as the moving of his hands and struggling to find words as he tried to recall the exact words of his friends' argue.

"...and... and that she overworked like your leg..." He looked at House in turn with an accusatory index pointing toward him "You always mean _that leg_ when you use that tone" He said gesturing toward House's groin.

Cuddy stared at Wilson, then turning her head toward House, glaring at him. No words exited her mouth, since her lips were just a flat line now, but her eyes spoke a lot of them. House held her gaze, then snorted and looked at Wilson.

"You're a moron" He said looking straight in Wilson's eyes, then looking at Cuddy, who was still staring at him with the same gaze.

He ran a hand on his nape and looked again from Wilson to Cuddy, giving her a half smile and a puppy look.

"Isn't it true I slept with another woman?" He asked as this time she couldn't hold back a tiny smile too, just too tiny for Wilson to notice.

"Yeah. Three nights in a row" She replied, turning to look at Wilson with a serious look.

"And, isn't it true you slept on the couch?" House pressed again as Cuddy bit her lip to prevent from smiling, glancing at him and then again at Wilson.

"Yeah. And, well... it's true it's because of another man" She said not averting her eyes from Wilson.

Wilson looked at them both again, in disbelief.

"And... and you're ok with this?" He asked looking from one to the other one with a sort of horrified look "I mean... you're cheating on her, and she on you... and you two are fine with that?" He looked down shaking his head then looking up at them again and running a hand through his hair, bowing his head "I... I really can't believe it... I really am -"

"A moron!" They both said at the same time.

He looked up and at them again.

"W-what?"

"I slept with Rachel, you moron!" House said staring at him "But, yeah, three night in a row since our boss here worked late" He said glaring at Cuddy with a reproachful look and then again to Wilson "You should try to sleep with a three-year-old curled up on your leg," He added staring at his friend "and... oh yeah... since the wrong Cuddy was in bed with me it wasn't the best endowed of my legs the one overworking in recent nights"

Wilson looked at him again in disbelief.

"But... but you told she slept on the couch because of a man..." he almost stammered looking at him.

"Yeah. That fucking bad version of Brad Pitt coming right from the 90's" House replied as Wilson's jaw hung open this time.

His mouth opened and closed and opened again as he stared at Cuddy.

"Holy fuck! Is-is it true? Are you SLEEPING WITH DICKSON?" He asked, stammering at first and then practically shouting.

"Shit, Wilson!" She instinctively turned to glance at the closed door, then turning to him again "Shit! Try again! The first floor didn't hear you loud enough!" She yelled in turn with a glare, turning her head to stare at House again "A cliché. You're a stud. I'm a slut"

She inhaled deeply closing her eyes and massaging for a second the space between her eyebrows, then looking at House again as he could almost see lightning darting from her eyes "I swear, if you don't kick his ass I'll do it" she said in a sharp and now really pissed-off tone as House rolled his eyes.

He looked at her as she closed her eyes and took another deep breath, for sure making a 99 to 0 countdown this time, then locking eyes with him again.

"Did you already tell him he's a moron?" She asked in a sarcastic tone still looking at her boyfriend.

"I think I'm becoming repetitive" House replied looking at her and then at Wilson.

She sighed loudly, turning her head toward Wilson.

"The report for tomorrow morning Board meeting Dickson asked me" Cuddy said with a more tired than angry sigh this time, staring straight into Wilson's eyes "I've been working on it for two weeks. I swear, if he doesn't approve it the only dick he'll have got will be the one in his surname!"

House couldn't help the laugh that burst from his mouth and wrapped Cuddy's shoulders in a _'that's my girl'_ way despite the serious and threatening tone of her voice and the glare she gave him as Wilson just looked at them.

"I'm a moron" he declared bowing his head and shaking it as a smile played on his lips.

They didn't talk as House followed Cuddy in her office. He opened his mouth a couple of times to say something and she just shut him up with a glare.

"Anyway" House mischievously said, ignoring her attempt of feigning rage and bending down from behind toward her ear as she opened her office door "You're not so pissed out of being called 'a slut' as I fucked you relentlessly against that desk"

His lips grazed the skin behind her ear and he could clearly feel her shivering despite the strong slap on the shoulder she gave him without turning.

"You never called me a slut, House! Not even when you fuck me relentlessly" she replied turning only her head to glare at him over her shoulder "It never happened and never will"

He waited till she reached for her desk, putting on it a paper Nurse Brenda had handed her as soon as they had stepped out of the elevator and just reached in turn for her hips, gently pulling her ass toward himself and making her turn in his arms till he faced her. She ran her tongue on her lips just looking into his eyes and giving him what would have meant to be a glare. Instead, she looked away at his smirk then locking eyes with him again as she couldn't help the curling of the corners of her lips.

House's lips grazed hers and she tried to bit her lower lip, failing again in that attempt of not smiling wider and instead searching his lips in turn.

"Does dirty talking turn you on?" He asked, looking into her dilated pupils and wrapping her waist tighter so she was so close he could feel her hard nipples through her silk blouse.

She smiled, running a hand along his neck and nape and whispering a ' _maybe'_ on his lips, sucking his lower lip as he smiled in turn.

His leg parted hers as much as her skirt allowed it and she couldn't help but purr at the rubbing of his thigh against her.

"You sure I can't call you 'slut' while I fuck you relentlessly?"

His piercing blue eyes didn't leave hers while his hand lingered on her stomach, then slowly moving down to cup her sex.

"Sure" she answered, nodding, still smiling on his lips "but you can still fuck me relentlessly"

...

* * *

"Are you gonna work again?"

He didn't meant to be rude. Yeah, _rude_ was his second name, but he knew her well enough to know that she wasn't going to be fine till her business stuff kept to twirl into her mind.

She answered with a shrug and a shake of head that was a clear no, closing the folder full of documents she had just briefly checked and tossing it on the coffee table, an inch from his feet, then sitting down on the sofa.

On the opposite end of the sofa.

"What's wrong?" House asked looking at her as she bent her legs, wedging her feet under one of her buttocks instead of curling at his side or at least putting those feet on his lap, silently asking him to massage them.

"Er... nothing..."

"Don't nothing me, Cuddy"

Yeah. She sometimes still forgot there was no way to shut him up with a nothing. On the contrary... anything as one of her 'nothing' was a red flag for him.

"Sorry, I just-... I don't feel good. I don't know... maybe I'm just nervous..."

"About tomorrow meeting?" He asked raising his eyebrows as she just nodded.

Why was she uncomfortable with that guy? He was handsome but definitely not her kind of man. Probably just the umpteenth guy fantasizing about going into her panties. Well, definitely 'certainly', not 'probably' but surely nothing new! And definitely less threatening of Vogler! He was the new president of the board. Period. Nothing she couldn't handle. So, why on earth was she like that?

He just stared at her and she rolled her eyes, sighing. Again obviously there was no way she could make him shut up without telling him the truth.

"He keeps the door open for me. He stands up every time I stand up... I don't know I..."

She glared at him as a laugher burst from his mouth.

"You spent too much time with me, Cuddy" he teased, letting out another chuckle and taking her feet, pulling them in his lap and beginning to massage her left plant "It's what men usually do".

She gave him a warm smile despite the way in which she bowed her head.

"It's not. He's the kind of man who think women will be better at home cooking for their husbands, House"

"Because he never tried your cuisine!" He laughed, bowing his head in turn in an attempt of dodging the pillow she tossed toward him, smiling in turn.

...

* * *

"Morning" He whispered stroking her hip through her silk nightie.

"Morning" She sleepy replied rolling on her back to face him, stroking his stubble and meeting his blue eyes.

"Why are you already awake?" She asked, glancing at the dim light seeping through the window and then at the clock on the nightstand.

"Hospital call," He replied looking at her "Nothing I can't handle from here. I don't have to be there for now"

She just ran a hand on her face then looking at him again.

"I haven't even heard the phone"

"I noticed, Sleeping Beauty," He said smiling and brushing her lips "nor your alarm" he added as she glanced at the clock again, sighing.

"Feeling better?"

"Er... I think so," She replied, still stroking his stubble, as her tongue found his, leaving him no doubt about that.

This was his Cuddy. This one and the one of the previous day in her office. Not the mechanical and cold sperm-seeker of their quickies in her bathroom.

"I'm sorry," she whispered on his lips "I've been a bitch in recent weeks" she said meeting his gaze and his lips at the same time.

"I thought we agreed in _no bad words during sex,_ Cuddy," he teased her, slightly parting her legs and making her panties slide along them, then lifting her nightie to expose her breast, sucking on one of her nipples before going back to her mouth "but if you changed your mind I-"

She smiled, shaking her head in a no as his mouth left hers to suck on her neck, then moving down again on her cleavage. His hand cupped one of her breast squeezing it a little in his palm as his mouth found the nipple of her other breast.

She gasped, arching her back and grasping the hair on his nape as he moved on top of her, pressing her against the mattress.

"Are you ok with this position or is it too _chauvinist_?" He teased again as she smiled. The way in which she wrapped her legs around his buttocks was a clear response and an invite at the same time. And an incredible turning on.

He had missed this in last weeks. The spontaneity. The flirting turning in passion. The quarrelling turning in lust.

His mouth found hers with such an intensity he almost left her breathless. His tongue fondled and caressed hers in the most sensual battle as their bodies stroked each other at the same pace. It was a tormented caress. She could feel him. The head of his erection rubbing against her clit with every stroke was driving her insane. She wanted him. She craved for him.

She slightly lifted her hips meeting him and she moaned at the feeling of his tip opening her. She inhaled deeply, moaning in anticipation and then in reproach as instead he pulled out.

"Oh God, Greg" she moaned her disapproval, tilting her head back and arching her back in an attempt to push at least her nipple into his mouth.

Fuck, he knew how to tease her, making her plead for more.

If her breast wouldn't have been that inviting he would have avoided it. But he couldn't. He couldn't deny such a pleasure to her nor to himself. And that hard nipple pushed right into his mouth was enough to make him even harder, if that was believingly possible.

Fuck, she was so hot and soft and wet that he just wanted to be swallowed by her throbbing folders pouring himself in her.

She moaned louder as he sucked on her nipple so hardly that for a moment he thought he had hurt her. She gasped and grasped his hair not letting go of him as he continued that sweet torture. From the sound of her breathing she was so close to orgasm that he thought he could make her come even without touching her. But he couldn't. He couldn't not touching her. Her sex was like a magnet and his free hand slid along her body and between her legs, parting her folders.

"So wet," he whispered as she gasped at the two fingers which entered her "so tight"

He had barely touched her as she was already clenching around his fingers.

"Fuck, Lisa, dirty talking turns you on so badly"

It was a vortex. His mouth on her breast, his fingers, his words, her first name... oxytocin and dopamine and adrenaline... She let go at the burst of hormones inside her and fell so hard from her edge that she screamed her pleasure in a mix of House and Greg and God.

He pulled out before she recovered and just entered her again, this time stretching her folders like his fingers could never had and reaching every inch of her as she vocalized her pleasure even more.

He couldn't tell if she came again or just didn't stop coming. He could tell he didn't last as much as he would have liked, squeezed relentlessly by her throbbing folders.

He rested his head between her breasts as he tried to catch his breath, then kissing her sternum and looking up at her. She was still panting and her pelvic muscles were still clenching in slower and weaker contractions, keeping her in a post orgasmic bliss.

"Glasgow score... 5 on 15" he teased as a smile played on her lips despite she didn't open her eyes.

"My nipples hurt" she chuckled as he kissed the space between her breasts again.

"She localizes pain. 3 more points. But still in a coma" He teased again as she opened her eyes this time, chuckling again.

"So stupid"

"So beautiful"

She bit her lower lip, stroking his stubble and letting him kiss her lips again.

"You're weird" he said, caressing her naked skin as she gave him a puzzled look.

"Weird?"

He just nodded, grazing her lips again and staring into her eyes.

"You share your bed with a sexist who harass you since the first time you met him and yet you're upset by that guy,"

She chuckled again.

"You're not a sexist man, House"

"Really?" He asked raising both eyebrows.

"Really" She repeated finding his jaw again.

"So, what am I?"

She smiled wider, finding her lips again in a soft kiss as their legs mingled again.

"The sexiest man I ever met"

...

* * *

10 minutes past 10 am. A minute past the last time House had looked at the clock on the wall of the Clinic waiting room. It wasn't his fault! 70 minutes in that hell of running noses were worse for him than the 7 plagues of Egypt!

He caught sight of Cuddy as she walked quickly toward her office looking at the floor to avoid eye contact with everyone, opening the door and disappearing behind that.

He put the folder on the nurses' counter, gaining a glare from Nurse Jeffrey.

"You can't go away right now! You can't leave me here to deal with that bunch of patients!"

"Sure I can" House replied in an ironic tone as Nurse Jeffrey glared at him.

"What?" House asked again "Is that time of month for you too?"

He didn't turn to look at the nurse's response, just heading to Cuddy's office.

"What's up?" He asked as soon as he opened the door, looking at her as she placed her documents on her desk and then turned to look at him.

"Have you won another trip to Human Resources?" She asked, looking over his shoulder at Nurse Jeffrey and giving him a slight smile, then sitting down on the couch with a sigh.

"Don't deflect. You ok? I thought you had that board meeting," He looked at his watch "ten minutes ago"

"Yeah... I thought the same" She replied, sighing again and closing her eyes, tilting her head back and resting it on the couch back.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, Greg"

He looked at her.

"Lisa?"

She turned to look at him, realizing just at the sound of her first name that the sound of his was definitely another one of his red flags.

"Er... my new boss didn't let me stay at that board meeting" She said raising her head and looking at him.

"What?"

His eyes widened and the grip on his cane handle tightened.

"YOU are the boss, Cuddy" he replied still looking at her as she just sighed, closing her eyes again for a few seconds and then meeting his gaze.

"I thought the same, but it looks like I was wrong"

He looked at her in disbelief, glancing at the closed door and then at her.

"You have to be joking!" He almost shouted "Who does he think he is?"

He angrily pointed to the door with his cane " What are you gonna do about this?"

"Er... nothing..."

 _Nothing?_ He looked at her with an incredulous gaze then sitting down next to her.

"Nothing? You're the Dean for Christ's sake! Why on hell are you letting an asshole like that one bossing you around?!"

She hesitated a fraction of second, still looking into his eyes as her gaze softened at the way in which he was trying to defend her.

"Who told you it's an asshole?"

His "Surely he is!" came so quickly she almost smiled at the soft and sweet spot of the man everyone considered the worse asshole of the hospital.

"Yeah, he probably is" She answered, nodding and trapping her lower lip between her teeth.

He looked at the tiny smile that played on her lips, first curling just the corners of her mouth almost imperceptibly and then lighting up instead even her eyes.

"What?" He asked as her hand found his jaw, stroking his stubble.

"He probably is" She repeated with a slight shrug "Or she" she added, still looking into his eyes.

She moved his hand on her stomach and he just held her gaze for a second, then watching his own hand till a smirk appeared on his face.

"It's probably really gonna be an asshole, you know that, don't you?"

"I know" She whispered again as his lips found hers and his hand didn't leave her stomach as their tongues lightly brushed.

"And it will boss you around too" She said putting a hand on his as their lips met again.


	11. Obsessions

**CHAPTER 11 - Obsessions**

 **...**

* * *

Nine o'clock and House was already in front of PPTH main door. He watched as it slid open then taking a long sip from the paper cup in his hand hoping that coffee could recharge his batteries. He still wondered how could Cuddy have a 5 to 9 day if he could barely have a 9 to 5. Well, honestly, 7 to 5 since this was his _'take Rachel to school!'_ week.

He glanced at Cuddy's office as he came nearer the door, catching sight of her jacket hung on the coat tree despite the dim light of the room. She wasn't behind her desk so... option 1, she was in her bathroom empting the content of her stomach in the toilet bowl (something luckily had been rare since she had began her second trimester) , or, option 2, she was somewhere in the hospital fixing some kind of annoying and boring problem. He glanced at her desk again. No light coming from the screen of her computer, a clear sign, according to her obsession on energy saving, that she was out of the office.

House just turned to the elevator, throwing the empty cup in the trash can and pushing the button, then leaning on his cane as he waited for the door to slide open.

There she was.

A black blouse and a grey skirt under her white coat. The corners of House's lips curled up almost imperceptibly and he dampened them as Cuddy's hand reached for the coat button unbuttoning it. She still barely showed her bump despite her fifth month of pregnancy, but just a blind person could believe she had just gained some weight. Or maybe he was just that good in making fun of people! Before rumors could start he had anticipated them, fueling instead another kind of rumor... and for sure none in the hospital wanted to upset the boss reminding her how menopause can be unkind with a woman's body!

Cuddy didn't look up from the papers in her hand, just automatically taking a step forward as the two old women in front of her exited the elevator.

"Where do you think you're going?"

She stopped, practically bumping into her boyfriend and meeting his gaze as she couldn't help the smile which played on her lips.

"In my office, like every morning in the last 15 years?" She ironically asked as House held her gaze, taking her elbow and forcing her to step back instead.

"What?" She asked with another smile as he pushed the button on the keyboard and her look followed the moving of the door.

She took another step back as he placed his cane in the corner on her right, moving closer to her.

"I need at least a reward for having brought the brat at school even today" he teased as she could feel the cold wall behind her back and her eyes stared at him.

"Not because of me!" She replied with a smirk "Because of my overprotective boyfriend" she teased as her hand moved along his forearm, then lingering on his biceps.

He held her gaze leaning against the wall with one hand and towering over her as she looked up at him with a half smile.

"No way you're gonna set foot into that school till that chicken pox epidemic is off, Cuddy" he replied as she bit her lower lip to prevent her smile from growing wider.

"Rachel's vaccinated and my mother told you I had it when I was three" She replied raising both her eyebrows.

"Yeah,"

He gave her a very unconvinced look then holding her gaze again.

"How many kids you know who don't scratch their itching blisters, Cuddy?" He asked, moving even closer to her as his hand touched her blouse then moving under it to caress the skin of her side "You have no scars. Not even the littlest one. And I swear I checked every inch of you," He added with a very mischievous look as she ran her tongue on her lips.

"Well, I like this one instead" She whispered, slightly touching the little scar on the side of his nose and then cupping his cheek as he smirked, bending his head more to find her lips as she hummed her approval.

She never had enough of that feeling... of the contrast between the roughness of his stubble and the softness of his warm mouth. Her hand ran in his hair and her lips parted giving access to his tongue.

"Oh God-"

He opened his eyes at the way in which Cuddy's free hand pushed him away abruptly and looked at her as she tilted her head back resting it on the wall, inhaling deeply.

"You taste of coffee," She said as House's look followed the hand that ran on her face and then reached for her stomach.

"Shit, sorry,"

A smile played on her face at his guilty look as his hand covered hers on her stomach. She liked this side of him. And it was a completely unexpected and new side of him. _Caring and protective and -_

"You ok?"

 _Sometimes too caring. Sometimes too protective._

She smiled wider, nodding and reaching for him again. She moved on tiptoe and put her arms around his shoulders, pressing her lips against the side of his neck and inhaling his scent as he held her tightly kissing her hair in turn.

"Lunch at 1?" He asked as the elevator door opened forcing him to step back.

"Er... I have a meeting at 12.30" She replied with an apologizing look.

"Starving it isn't gonna work, you know?" He ironically said, stepping out of the elevator and staring at her, nodding toward her stomach "it's gonna take calcium from your bones, proteins from your muscles and fat from your ass and you're gonna end with osteoporosis, flaccid muscles and your sister's ass"

She rolled her eyes as a smirk played on her lips at the same time.

"I won't skip lunch. But... have I to be worried about you knowing my sister's ass so well?" She asked, teasing him as her hand held the elevator door preventing it from closing.

"Oh shit!" He practically shouted with a grimace and a disgusted look as Cuddy let go of the door with a smirk.

"Is my sickness contagious?" Cuddy teased again still smiling

She looked at the door as it slid closed, not faster enough to prevent her from catching sight of the smile which played on House's lips either.

It was... touching. The way he cared and worried for her and the baby. Sometimes so "anti-House", sometimes too House-like. There was no way things could be easy or ordinary for him. A thin line... So it was touching and nice when it didn't turn in suffocating and paranoid.

* * *

"Woman, 43, nausea and stomachache, anemia, high urine proteins"

The team looked at House as he tossed a few papers on the table then sitting down on the nearer chair, turning a black marker between his fingers like he used to do with his Vicodin bottle just three years earlier.

"What's her name?" Masters asked glancing at the paper and then looking up at her boss.

"Funny," he replied, stopping the twirling on the marker and glaring at her "I thought we rather needed to name her disease"

Martha held his gaze for less than a second, then looking down, humming something incomprehensible. Almost two years in his team and she still was uncomfortable like the first day.

House sighed, looking at Foreman on the other side of the table and then at Masters again.

"C... Courtney," he said with a _'happy now?'_ look "Still 43, still nausea and stomach ache, anemia and high urine proteins"

"A kidney disease?" She said still looking at him.

"Are you asking me?" He ironically replied "Because last time I checked I was the one asking questions,"

Masters swallowed and House met Foreman's amused look as he couldn't prevent the corners of his lips from curling up almost imperceptibly.

"Er... kidney failure..." She tried again meeting her boss' look "I mean, kidneys produce erythropoietin... if they don't work, no erythropoietin, less red blood cells. It can explain anemia. The damage of the glumeruli can lead to the loss of protein in urine. And the buildup of waste in the blood can explain nausea and vomiting"

House stared at her, dampening his lips.

"Kidney failure is an effect, not a cause" He said still staring at her as she nodded, then slightly bending her head by side as she probably tried to recall all the causes of kidney failure from the letter A to the Z on her medical book. Acute tubular necrosis, autoimmune kidney diseases... till urinary tract obstruction and vasculitis. The cause could be in the kidney or out of it.

"How many proteins in the urine?" Foreman asked nodding toward the paper on the table, too far to be reached.

"Definitely not enough for a kidney failure!" An unexpected annoyed feminine voice said from the door as both Foreman and House looked at Masters before moving their gazes behind her, meeting Cuddy's eyes "Normal creatinine, normal blood urea nitrogen. eGFR, serum potassium and sodium... all in the normal range."

Foreman stretched his arm reaching for the paper and giving it a quick look, then looking from Cuddy to House "She's right. But there are urine leukocytes and bacteria... probably it's a urinary infection"

Cuddy's mouth opened and she gave him such a glare he almost startled.

"No nitrites," She dryly replied, gesturing at him that maybe he would have noticed it if he had bothered to look at the other side of that paper "And no leukocyte esterase" She added in the same tone "It's not a urinary infection. Something you obviously know since you're my Diagnostics team!" She added again in an ironic tone this time glaring at House.

He looked at her as she tore the paper off from Foreman's hand then leading to the door.

"What is it then?" Masters asked, turning to look at Cuddy as she stopped in the doorframe turning just her head to look at the young doctor.

"It's ... not a case for you" She replied then turning again to leave as Masters and Foreman looked at her walking and then at each other with a puzzled look.

...

* * *

House came home a few hours later, lifting his cane to knock at the door but stopping midair, realizing it was definitely too late and the little girl who used to run to open after the first knock was probably peacefully asleep in her bed.

He rummaged in the pocket of his jacket finally finding his key and opening the door slowly. The house was silent and dark except for the slight light and crackling coming from the living room. He took off his jacket and scarf, hanging them on the coat tree between Cuddy's coat and Rachel's little one.

Cuddy didn't look up from the book she was reading, lying on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket. The only light in the room came from the little lamp behind her and from the fire in the fireplace.

"You're gonna get blind" He said entering the room.

She didn't startle, sign that she had heard him entering the front door despite her attempt to ignore him. Anyway, again, she didn't look up from her book.

"It didn't work for you in so many years" She replied with a flat tone, reading the same line perhaps for the fourth time.

She could feel his eyes on her and forced herself to hold on a few seconds again before giving in to him. She lowered the book, resting it on her stomach.

"Oh, you meant _reading_!" She exclaimed with an innocent look as he casted a look at the hand she pulled out from under the blanket then giving her a mischievous gaze as both their lips curled up in a teasing smile.

"You naughty naughty girl" He said, moving her legs to make room for himself and bending down to kiss her mouth.

He closed her book, putting it on the coffee table then resting his hand on her stomach as just his thumb moved in a tiny caress.

Their eyes met at the still unusual moving inside her womb and he placed another soft kiss on her lips, then moving her legs again so he could sat down on the sofa with her. He pulled her feet on his lap silently beginning to massage them, then moving up to her ankles.

She sat up a little, watching his fingers as they pressed on her flesh in what was halfway between a caress and a massage. His eyes fixed on his own fingers as her mind was far from there. Work probably. His patient. Or maybe not.

"100 over 60" She said as he looked up meeting her gaze in what was a clear 'what?'

"My blood pressure" she explained "100 over 60" she repeated as he nodded.

"Well, it turns out Masters was right" he said meeting this time her questioning gaze "about kidney failure"

Cuddy held his gaze for a few seconds then shaking her head and chuckling.

"Except your patient is 30 years older than me" She said as he smiled in turn, still caressing her legs.

She looked at him as that smile faded and his eyes stared at the fireplace in front of him. She bit on her lower lip uncertain if saying something or not.

"What if I'm too involved to see the signs?" He said anticipating her words but not looking at her, still looking at a fixed point in front of himself.

"House, as close as you think, loving me doesn't turn you such a crappy doctor!" She said as he turned his head to give her a sort of glare.

"I can't be objective when it's about you, Cuddy" he said, this time running a hand in his hair and letting out a sigh "I can't trust myself when it's about you"

She bit her lip harder looking at him.

"Just in case you forgot I'm a doctor too" She said giving him a tiny but mischievous smile as their eyes met again.

She waited for a joke, something like 'you're crappier than me'... but no jokes came.

Cuddy sat up more, moving her feet from his lap and running a hand on his shoulders and back before moving on her knees and straddling him, putting her arms around his neck. He watched the blanket as it fell on the ground and couldn't help but smile at the feeling of her naked thighs. His hands moved under her sweater, that actually was 'his', finding her skin as her lips brushed his.

"That amount of urine proteins is normal in this stage of pregnancy" She said looking into his eyes as he nodded.

He knew she was right. And at the same time he couldn't push away that thought from his mind. She had an increased risk of preeclampia and eclampsia... first of all because of her age.

"Are my ankles swollen?" She asked on his mouth as soon as one of his hands moved along her leg again, caressing her foot and ankle and again her calf and thigh and buttock.

He didn't answer, just slightly shaking his head in a 'no' as she nodded instead, her mouth on his but not touching it. He opened his mouth at the warmth of her breathing waiting for her to kiss him and craving for her tongue.

"Can you smell ammonia?" She whispered again on his mouth as he shook his head in another no, cupping this time her face with both hands.

 _Fuck!_ She didn't smell of ammonia at all! She smelled of that unique and intoxicating scent which have been driving him crazy for more than twenty years.

His mouth found hers as her fingers moved in his hair and their tongues tangled in a deep kiss.

"You're short of breath," He teasingly whispered on her lips.

"Then you should check my lungs for extra fluid because of kidney and liver failure, Dr. House," she replied with the same tone and a very mischievous look "or rather check for extra fluid much lower than my lungs" she added as her pupils dilated more than they already were.

He smirked and found her mouth again, with more passion this time. His fingers wrapped her waist lingering for a second on her skin and then suddenly pulling her sweater over her head, then practically lifting her and rolling her on the sofa.

Cuddy smirked in turn, giving him one of the sexiest look as he peeled off her panties. She stared at him as he almost ripped off himself his shirt and pants letting them fall on the ground as his gaze moved for one second on the door and the dark hallway beyond it.

She glanced at the door in turn then taking his arm and pulling him on top of her, looking for his mouth again.

"She's asleep" She reassured on his lips, encircling his body with both legs in such a way that even the littlest though dissolved from his mind.

His mouth found the soft skin of her neck and he got lost in her scent as her moans filled his ears.

He could feel every inch of her. Her legs wrapped around his butt, her breast pressing against his chest, her belly against his stomach. Her smooth and warm walls around him...

"House -"

He looked at her as a different moan exited her lips and her hand moved between their bodies to find her lower abdomen. He immediately propped more on his elbows, lifting his body from hers and hurrying to pull out as soon as he realized his weight was crashing her. His eyes stared at her and his lips parted to say something as his worried look met hers. An all but worried look. A smirk played on Cuddy's lips as her hand found his cheek.

"Just not like this" she whispered casting him the naughtiest look and turning, reaching for the sofa backrest as his hand moved along her spine, then stopping to cup her ass.

His hand encircled her frame again, reaching for her breast as he found her again, thrusting into her with all he had.

He held her hip with one hand, moving the other one from her breast to her neck, tilting and turning her head back to kiss her mouth despite it wasn't the easiest position to do that. Her back was probably going to ache the day after but none of them cared about it in that moment, too lost in that pleasure.

"Holy -"

She practically collapsed on the sofa as her knees went weak. She closed her eyes at the feeling of House breathing against her back. He was as breathless as her and she couldn't help but let out a chuckle, moving a lock from her face and turning just her head to look at him as he raised his head placing a row of soft kiss along her spine.

She reached for the blanket, picking it up from the floor then making room for him next to her and covering both of them, nestling at his side like she always used to do.

House fingers moved up and down along her arm, listening to her breathing and savouring the warmth of her body against his.

"Do you know how much incidence of eclampsia is, Dr House?" She asked, breaking the silence, as the hand caressing her skin stopped and just a 'hhmm?' exited House's lips.

She stood still as his lips pressed against her hair in a light kiss.

"0.5 per 1000" she answered in his place as his fingers moved again along her arm in a slow and soft caress.

"It's just statistics, Cuddy" he replied "Tell it to Rachel's biological mother!"

Cuddy sighed loudly, untangling her legs from his and propping on her elbow so she could look at him right in the eyes.

"Yeah, just statistics," she said raising both her eyebrows "But, what's the probability of having two mothers dying for the same rare disease?" She teasingly asked as he couldn't help but letting out a little chuckle at her words, then turning serious again.

He didn't answer, just caressing her skin and finding her lips in a soft kiss, then letting his tongue slightly touch her lower lip.

It was so out of character. House scared of failing... House doesn't trusting his own medical opinion...

Cuddy smiled slightly on his mouth staring into the blue of his eyes.

"I promise to call Wilson for a second opinion if I don't feel well, ok?" She teased as his eyes widened and one of his hand gave her a little spank, then pulling her on top of him again.

"Yeah, good choice, Cuddy! He kills only half of his patients!" He said with another half chuckle cupping her face as she smiled in turn.

...

* * *

Wilson stopped in front of House, resting his tray on the table and following his friend's gaze, fixed on the brunette that had just entered the cafeteria and was now busy in choosing her lunch from the counter.

"Something's wrong with her," he said as House's gaze moved from Cuddy to Wilson in an unspoken _'what?'_ than focusing on his girlfriend again as Wilson turned his head to look at her too.

"See?" Wilson glanced at Cuddy again, watching her hand as she slightly massaged her back then stretching her arm to take a dish from the girl behind the counter.

"She's fine"

He succeeded in not smiling as the events of the previous night came to his mind, but if Wilson would have been a very good observer he would have noticed the blushing on House's neck as soon as he recalled as he had almost torn her back in the ardor of passion.

"How can you tell?" Wilson asked with a questioning look, watching Cuddy again as she handed a bill to the cashier and put a few coins in the pocket of her skirt "It's Cuddy we're talking about. She could be in labor and probably none would notice it!"

House just rolled his eyes, putting a French fry into his mouth.

"She's not in labor," he said still chewing "And I wish she won't for the next 4 months"

They both turned to Cuddy as she approached their table and placed her tray on it, sitting down in front of House with a sigh. She was not in pain, she was angry. He could always read her from the slightest and apparently insignificant signs. The way she tilted her head, the way in which her shoulders stiffened, the way she trapped her tongue in her cheek.

"You ok?" Wilson asked as she massaged the back of her neck than taking a forkful of pasta from her dish, ignoring both House's stare and his question.

"No salad?" House asked instead, almost nonchalantly, as Cuddy suddenly looked up, giving him such a glare it could electrocute him.

"I would if someone wouldn't have phoned the Health Department about some kind of mysterious food contamination" She replied in a dry and sharp tone ignoring his gaze and taking instead another forkful from her dish.

"Not my fault if your Health Department isn't efficient enough to check -"

"- every head of lettuce? Seriously?" She replied shaking her head and staring into his eyes.

Wilson looked from one of them to the other one. From the annoying smirk on House's face to the annoyed look on Cuddy's. His hand holding his chin, hers still holding her fork midair.

They stared at each other till House's pager went off forcing him to look down. He just gave her a smirk, quickly reaching for his cane and standing up as Cuddy sighed loudly letting her fork fall on the plate.

Wilson watched his friend as he limped out of the door, then looking at Cuddy again.

"What was that for?" He asked as she glared at him, running a hand in her hair.

"Fuck! He's paranoid. He's obsessed. He's -"

Wilson couldn't help but chuckle.

"Well, it's House we're talking about!"

She nodded, running a hand on her neck as a very tiny smile played on her lips despite her tense features.

"He's obsessed about what he loves more," Wilson said as Cuddy bit on her lip, slightly nodding again, then bending her head by side looking at her friend.

"He's sweet... the way he cares for us is sweet... but..." she shook her head casting a glare to Wilson "Did you heard he sent to the lab every head of lettuce of the cafeteria for a Toxoplasma test?" She said in an exasperated look as Wilson stared at her for a few seconds, then chuckling and bowing his head, shaking it.

She dampened her lips and just looked up at him again, unable not to chuckle in turn.

...

* * *

House looked at Cuddy as soon as she entered the kitchen. He hadn't seen her since the day before in the cafeteria. Sometimes it wasn't that bad that she was his boss, at least she could bear to be set aside for a patient. So it wasn't this the reason for which she was avoiding him on that morning.

Yeah, maybe this time he had pushed a little too much.

"Still mad at me?" He asked, resting his hands on her waist and tentatively kissing the side of her neck as she apparently ignored him, continuing to wash some lettuce in the sink.

She added the lettuce to the carrots and cherry tomatoes already in the Tupperware and closed the lid, then rudely handing him a bottle of disinfectant. The bad side of having a Infectivologist as a boyfriend!

She knew in a way he was right. Toxoplasma Gondii oocystis could contaminate food, most of all the organic food she used to eat. A banal disease for an adult, a very severe disease for a fetous, that's why washing raw vegetable very well with a chlorine disinfectant was the right thing to do.

"If our child grows three heads I'll know who to thank" She ironically said with a glare turning her head to meet his smirk.

"It's chlorine not something radioactive, Cuddy! But I know who to thank for his three legs instead!" He replied with a mischievous look as she rolled her eyes.

"Three legs?" Rachel asked from behind them as they both suddenly turned to look at her.

She stared at them moving her big eyes from the glare her mother gave to House, turning just her head toward him, to the glance he gave back at her scratching his nape. _Three legs?_ It was scaring! She had asked for a little sister to play with and she would have had a brother instead... wasn't it scary enough?! She had played just once with Emma's brother and she had had a hair-pulling and a kick. Well, House had already reassured her about that. Her legs would have been longer than her brother's little ones so she could kick harder! She still wondered why her mother had slapped House's arm on those words but, from the 'ouch' which had exited House's lips and the grimace on his face surely a girl can be stronger than a boy sometimes!

"Er... House's just joking, Honey" Cuddy reassured her caressing her hair as she looked again from her mother to House "C'mon, finish you breakfast, baby. We're late".

Cuddy watched as House reached for his cell at the first ring, holding it between his ear and shoulder while he finished buttoning his shirt. He just reached for his jacket, putting it on without stopping giving instructions to his team, and just glance at her then heading to the door.

Yeah, the bad side of an Head-of-Diagnostics boyfriend. Patient first! Always!

Wilson was right, House's obsessed about what he loves more. And... was there something he loves more than his puzzles?

Three days and he hadn't solved his case yet.

The patient was having ups and downs but she had worsened in the last hours, enough to drive House crazy. Well, nothing new to be honest.

Cuddy sighed loudly, giving an exasperated look at her boyfriend and then at the whole team.

"House! Why you always have to be so irritating... and stubborn... and unreasonable... and..." ...and she could go on. She shook her head, gesturing with her hand in an exasperated way "Repeat the tests" she said, staring at him and clearly enunciating those three words.

"Shit, Cuddy! Is this what your bureaucratic brain suggests? Waiting? For the tumor spreading everywhere? When the PET scan lights up like a Christmas tree it will be too late! C'mon, I know I'm right!"

Cuddy snorted, putting an hand on her back and massaging her left side for a few seconds before letting her arm fall along her side and look up at him again.

"You know you're right," she repeated with a sigh, running a hand on her forehead, looking at him again "...but you have no proofs at all, Greg!"

House held her gaze and she inhaled deeply before speaking again.

"Fine" she said, letting her arms fall along her sides and bowing her head, then looking up at him again "Er... fine... Do whatever you think it's better for the patient. But... keep me informed"

House looked at her as she glanced at his team and then briefly at him again, then turning and walking out of the room. He followed her walking with his gaze before she disappeared along the hallway.

Chase glanced at Foreman, and in turn followed with his gaze his boss's boss as she walked along the hallway. _Greg._ Sometimes he almost forgot it was his boss's first name. And, as long as he remembered, the only time he had heard Cuddy calling him _Greg_ had been... when? Er... never! He shrugged almost imperceptibly, almost pushing away that useless thought, going back to serious thoughts.

"Fine. Let's start the procedure then. I'm gonna talk to the patient" Foreman said, standing up while House's gaze was still fixed on the now empty door of the differential room.

"No" He said, turning to look at him, then looking again for a second through that door "Repeat the tests!" He said, walking out of that same door as Chase and Foreman exchanged a questioning look.

House stared at the elevator door, lightly tapping his cane against the floor as he waited for it to reach the ground floor. These were the exact moments in which he regretted not being able to run downstairs.

He opened the door of Cuddy's office, seeking her with his gaze in that apparently empty room, then heading for her bathroom.

"Hey? " He called, opening the door "What's wrong?"

He watched her hand as she leaned against the sink, leaving on the rim of it the wet towel she had used to dampen her face and neck, then leaning against his arm as he reached for her.

"Cuddy?" He tried again, putting an arm around her waist and feeling her weight against his left side as he held her at the same time.

"Er... I just need to lay down" she answered not looking at him, as he helped her walking toward the sofa.

He sat down next to her, instinctively putting an hand on her belly. It was hard and tense, but it relaxed slowly under his own fingers.

"How long are you having contractions?" He asked, looking at her.

"Just since our argue in your office" she answered, putting a hand on his.

He didn't reply but she knew by his gaze he was calling himself an idiot for having stressed her, wondering if that sickness was just because of tiredness and her well known low blood pressure and if she would have called him if he wasn't come there by himself.

Cuddy smiled lightly, caressing his stubble.

"I would have called Wilson" she teased as a half smile played on his lips for a few seconds.

"I'm gonna take you home" he said, in a tone that didn't give way to any reply even if she would have wanted to.

"You have a case. You can't leave your patient..." she said looking into his eyes.

"They have my phone number. They knew how to find me as soon as they have the tests results"

Cuddy looked at him and opened her mouth to speak. _The tests?_ He had asked her to authorize a risky procedure, she had said yes, and now, instead, he was repeating the tests? Was it so clear that she had said that _yes_ just because she felt bad and didn't have strength enough to keep fighting? If he wanted a proof, there it was! Like it or not he could always read the littlest sign on her.

"House... You don't have to drive me home. I'm not gonna drive anyway. Just call a cab" she said, stroking his arm as his look was a clear _'nothing of what you're saying will be enough to change my mind'_  
"House... I can't allow you overshadow your job for me...I'm your boss" she said still stroking his arm with her thumb.

"You're my girlfriend" he pointed out looking at her straight in the eyes "Like it or not, everything else overshadow" he said, standing up and taking her car keys.

...

* * *

House looked at her as she got undressed. Yoga pants and bra as she took a shirt from the dresser. Her 5 months belly enlightened by those low-waist pants. House approached her, putting his hands on her hips.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, kissing her forehead as she leaned on him and he wrapped her waist with both arms.

"Er... I still can barely stand" she whispered leaning even more on him.

"Ok... come" he said, helping her to lay down on the bed and covering her with the sheet.

"I can't," she said, running a hand on her face "Rachel is gonna be here in half an hour and I absolutely have to..."

"-rest" he said in her place.

"You have a patient..." she said, looking into his eyes and trying to reply again.

"My patient is 5 months pregnant"

...

* * *

Babysitting Rachel was very different now from the first time he had agreed to do that. Well, the first time she had covered the floor with noodles and swallowed a dime so, in any case, it couldn't be that bad again!

House turned off the call, putting his cell back in his pocket. He was right about the tumor but probably it would been better if he weren't. In the end, another patient for Wilson. He shook his head running a hand on his face listening for a moment at the silence around him.

Too much silence to be honest.

How long had he been busy in that work call?

He glanced at his watch as soon as he entered the kitchen again.

"Holy fuck!"

He almost slipped on the wet floor as his eyes moved from the dishwasher to Rachel. She was standing right in front of that appliance trying to stop it from throwing out a mix of foam and water.

"What the fuck, Rach!" he shouted again, abruptly lifting her from the pool under her feet and sitting her on top of the counter, ordering her not to move of an inch just with a glare.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as big tears filled her eyes "I wanted to help"

 _Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!_

He glanced from her to that mess again, running a hand in his hair. He had left her alone... how long?... 10 minutes?

 _Fuck again!_

Always distrust a too silent child!

 _Fuck!_

He had just fixed a puzzle and now he had an electronic patient to fix!

He watched the foam still coming out from the dishwasher. How could she have put too much detergent into it? Cuddy used to buy those all-in-one tablets (again part of her saving water and detergent obsession), so one of them was enough for a full machine. He opened the cabinet to check and there it was. A full box. Full and out of Rachel's reach...

 _Fuck!_

He turned to the child trying his best not to yell.

"What did you put into it, baby" He said in the calmest tone he could despite that 'baby' sounded more intimidating than calming from his voice.

She didn't speak, just stretching her arm and pointing with her little finger to the almost empty bottle of liquid hand soap on the sink.

House closed his eyes and sighed so loudly that Rachel startled.

 _Ok. Keep calm! Think!_

It would be easier to think without a dishwasher vomiting foam all around!

 _Think!_

 _Soap and foam... bubbles... it's about surface tension, right?_ Just chemistry after all... so he needed to increase water hardness to stop that reaction. But... how?

"Salt!" he said out loud then looking around, meeting Rachel's look as her finger pointed to one of the cabinets.

Half an hour later House finished drying the floor and looked at Rachel, still there where he had put her and just swinging her legs back and forth slightly. She hadn't said a word all the time, just looking at him with guilty eyes.

"Are you gonna tell Mom?" She asked, still biting on her lower lip.

He just looked up at her meeting her big blue eyes.

"What? That we're better than Marina in cleaning the kitchen?" He joked in an attempt to make her smile "Surely this place's never been that scented" he chuckled as a smile played on his face in turn.

...

* * *

House opened the door of the bedroom and glanced at Cuddy. She wasn't asleep although she had gone to bed more than one hour earlier.

Well, nothing weird she wasn't sleepy since she had been in bed for a full week. Practically more hours of sleep than in a semester for her!

She looked up from her book watching him as he undressed and moved under the sheets with her resting a hand on her belly and savouring for a few seconds the feeling of the baby's kicks under his fingers.

"You should talk to Rachel" Cuddy said putting a hand on his "She's obsessed with this idea that her brother will kick her like he kicks me" She said as he looked up at her "I wonder who put this idea into her mind" She teasingly asked giving him a sort of glare.

As an answer he just smirked, placing a kiss on her belly and then settling his pillow against the headboard.

Cuddy lifted her book again and watched him as he opened the drawer of his nightstand reaching for his videogames console.

It was so unusual to share the bed with her like this, but he had read the entire last issue of the Lancet and of the Journal of American Medical Association, reread The adventures of Sherlock Holmes for the umpteenth time and then he had run out of ideas.

Well, touching her would been better, but she looked more focused on the baby in recent days and he wasn't going to force her. After all he could stay some time without sex, right?

Really? Could he? He wasn't fixated on sex but he missed her so much...

"What about... Adam?" Cuddy asked after a few minutes, not looking up from the book in her hands as House didn't look up either.

"Are you going to ask my opinion about every name in that book? You realized you're just at letter A, don't you?"

She rolled her eyes, glancing at him as instead, again, he kept to stare at the console in his hands, too busy in his game to really pay attention to her.

She sighed loudly, letting the book fall on her lap and massaging the left side of her belly.

There was no way he could escape that. He could feel the change in her mood in the air between them.

And he looked up, sighing in turn.

"Do you really want to name our child after the idiot who lost the Eden for an apple?" He asked in an ironical tone giving her a glare to which she replied with another roll of eyes, settling better on her side of the bed.

"Who told you I was thinking about that Adam?" She teased, despite the serious gaze in her eyes "the augmented one of your Deus Ex is definitely more interesting" she added in a mischievous tone, glancing at the console still in his hands and then giving him a very explicit look.

"You naughty girl,"

She entangled her legs with his, dampening her lips with her tongue and not averting her eyes from his an he couldn't help but grin as his eyebrows lifted in what was a clear _'really?'_

He tossed the console somewhere between the sheets and encircled her waist with one arm, moving closer to her side as her book bumped against the floor.

"At what kind of augmentation are you interested exactly, Cuddy?" He teased in turn with a very mischievous tone as his erection pressed against her thigh.

Her lips parted to reply as she stared into his eyes, but his mouth found hers, preventing her from answering that question.


	12. Sugar Daddy

**Here we are. Happy to share this chapter with you (finally!) and a bit sad because this is the last chapter of this story.**

 **I know someone won't be happy of such a fast course of it but this is how it was supposed to be since the beginning and ,even if I've been tempted to change the plot, I finally decided to just follow my inspiration.**

 **A warning, before you start reading...**

 **As you read just keep attention at the font because this chapter is a mix of present and past (or future and present...like you prefer). So... normal font for present time, Italic font for past time.**

 **Some particulars will be not clear at the beginning but just keep attention and I promise they will in the end (or maybe you'll have to read it twice)**

 **;)**

 **And... a note for not-English-tongue people who use a translator: I checked and the translator does a lot of mess with the word 'Sugar Daddy' so, well, here a little explanation for your 'Zucchero papà', 'Azucar papa', 'Sucre père' or whatever it is in your translation...**

 **'SUGAR-DADDY' is a slang for a rich older male lover** **who supports or spends lavishly on a younger girlfriend.** **In common parlance it doesn't have a good meaning because generally it refers** **to a man who** **offers money or gifts to a less rich, usually younger person in return for companionship or physical needs.**

 **Here however I just played with the word, using it in both this (real) meaning and for his assonance with 'sweet daddy'.**

 **I don't know if I reached my aim... I tried. ;)**

* * *

 **...**

 **CHAPTER 12 - SUGAR DADDY**

 **...**

* * *

Waldenwood preschool. Four years later it looked exactly the same of the first time he had been there. And still Cuddy's first choice for a pre-school. Honestly it would be easier for Adam to get there this time...

A little smile played on House's lips as soon as that thought came into his mind.

Yeah, not because Adam was smarter than his sister. Just because his sister had attended the same school from the second pre-school year on, and schools like that one used to give way to siblings.

Here why this sort of examination was just a formality.

Same room, same toys. Colourful blocks and rings and the same kind of caterpillar on which he had put pepper sauce for dissuading a 3-year-old Rachel from putting it into her mouth.

Like it or not, there she had got him. Exactly there.

 _... 'She seemed so dumb, but when the pressure was on, she knew what had to be done, and she did it'_

Yeah, he had a weird kind of pride!

 _...You're pumped 'cause your kid lied?_

 _...She's not my kid. She's a pain in the ass._

He shook his head at that memory, meeting his own gaze and slight smirk in the window in front of himself, then turning to look at Cuddy.

Her look was fixed somewhere in the outside garden and her hand fidgeted with the bracelet on her wrist.

"Nervous? Really?" He asked as she just turned to him with a smile.

"I'm just thinking we're getting old, _Daddy_ " she said with a smirk "How is that possible that our baby is already getting into preschool?"

"Hey, mind your own, woman!" He replied with a glare which turned into a smirk, putting an arm around her waist as she rested her temple on his shoulder.

Three years...

She still remembered the feeling of being behind her desk on that first day after her maternity leave.

 _._

 _... It was a strange feeling... like the one on her first day of work after Rachel's adoption. She was there but her mind wasn't, and neither her heart. She could still feel the softness of Adam's cheek on her lips and of his dark hair under her fingers as she kissed him goodbye._

 _...C'mon, Lisa... you can do it. It's just a few hours..._

 _She swallowed, turning her computer on and looking at the screen as the known icons appeared on it. The same icons she had faced for years... they just looked less bright now... like everything around her._

 _Fucking oxytocin..._

 _"I need a signature"_

 _She looked up at the sound of House's voice, smiling at the look in his eyes as she took the paper from his hand. Actually he didn't. He didn't need that signature. Or he could have sent someone else. He was there to check on her and that was... well... sweet._

 _"And I need a dose of Atosiban" She replied with a slight smile as instead he chuckled._

 _Actually he wasn't sure a dose of an antagonist of oxytocin would be enough. That bonding hormone had done enough mess in his life too._

 _His lips met hers as he bent to take back the signed paper and she smiled again._

 _"Or you should go back to be just a house-wife, Cuddy" he teased, purposely stretching both the parts of that noun._

 _She smiled wider, chuckling in turn._

 _"Maybe with a capital letter" She teased in turn as his steel blue eyes pierced hers and they both stared at each other running their tongue on their lips._

 _He kept to look into her eyes not looking away for a few seconds even when a knock on the door broke the spell. He just mouthed a 'see ya', then turning and heading to the door._

 _Time ran faster than she thought, reports and patients keeping her mind busy and sending her in her usual routine. She looked at her watch as she opened her office door. A quarter to 5 pm. Well, for sure now her routine didn't include working late. Even less after she had slept at most four hours the previous night._

 _She frowned at the box on her desk, mentally thanking that it was too little for a box of folders and too big for a faeces sample from some weird patient._

 _She reached for it, hesitantly lifting the lit and staring at what was inside it as one of the corners of her lips curled up._

 _She thanked that the Clinic was already closed at that time. Why on heart she couldn't keep off that dumb smile from her face?_

 _She stood on House's doorframe waiting for him to look up from the backpack he was filling and couldn't help the smile that played on her lips as soon as their eyes met. He just let his backpack on the desk, watching her as she placed those white runners on the pile of his medical journals and approached him._

 _His arms wrapped her waist and hers his neck as just their eyes spoke words to each other._

 _"Actually, I told... Nike" she teased glancing at the big rhinestone H on the side of those 500 dollars Hogan white sneakers and then looking again into his eyes._

 _He rolled his eyes. And smiled. One of his rare teeth-showing smile as his arms held her tighter._

 _"Oh, shut up!" He said as his lips found hers..._

.

"Dr House?"

He turned at that call. She didn't. Not immediately at least.

She felt House's gaze on the side of her face and just then turned her head to meet his amused look, then turning more to meet the gaze of the young woman behind her back. Her arm stretched in her direction to hand her the scarf she had probably forgotten in Principal Madison's office.

"Er... thank you" Cuddy just said with an awkward smile, taking the scarf from the woman's hand and wrapping it around her neck, then meeting House's amused look again.

They both turned to look at the door as soon as it opened and a little boy ran out, bumping against their legs. The teacher walked toward them in turn, giving them a warm smile and reaching for Adam's head, ruffling his hair.

"We had fun, don't we?" Miss Thompson said as the child turned his head to nod, not leaving the grip around his parents' thighs though "He's a smart boy," she continued with another smile "just..."

Cuddy stared at the teacher and House couldn't help but smirk at the way in which her eyebrows furrowed on that 'just...'.

"You've played 'Feed the monkey' before, right honey?"

Cuddy's lips parted in a questioning way and House just stared at his son's grey-blue eyes in what looked like a deja-vu.

Adam's dark blue little Nike rubbed back and forth on the floor and he looked up at them, then at the teacher... he bit on his lower lip and... nodded.

What?

Nodded?

Really?

House's mouth opened and he looked from the child to Cuddy as she gave him another quizzical look.

"Are you really sure he's mine?" He asked as she rolled her eyes, giving an apologetic look at the teacher.

"I'm sorry... I... I don't -," she sighed again "l'm really sorry... I suppose my hus-"

However, for Cuddy's disbelief, the teacher just smiled again, shaking her head slightly.

"Oh, it was just a statement. It's normal with elder siblings. Probably Rachel just told him about the school, the toys..." She smiled warmly again then giving them a sort of awkward look though "Just... er... with all due respect, I mean you're his parents and doctors too but... he...he repeatedly asked me for gummy bears during the game and...well, I think too much sugar would have to be discouraged in such a tender age..."

Cuddy's eyebrows raised and her eyes opened wider. Her mouth opened and closed and she swallowed...

"Er...sure..." She just whispered, nodding and reaching for Adam's hair, running her fingers in his curls.

The teacher just smiled, giving Adam's cheek a little flick and then waving him a bye-bye as the little boy gestured a greeting in turn.

Not even a second after the lady was gone Cuddy's head abruptly turned to House giving him a deadly glare.

"Hey... what?" He asked as just her eyebrows lifted again in a threatening and asking way.

"Gummy bears?" She asked with a serious tone as her eyes burned more at the laugher which escaped House's throat.

"It wasn't me!"

"Yeah, sure" She replied with a hard sigh, then looking down at the child.

She didn't speak in the car, just looking out of the window, and for once House thanked the fact they weren't going home. A few hours in her hospital and she would have probably forgot that she was mad at him. Or... probably... she would have just had something else to be madder at him.

"Dr. House?"

House automatically stretched his arm toward the nurse to take the receiver from her hand but she just gave him a weird look, keeping the phone against her chest and then handing it at the hand which appeared instead at House's side.

He turned just his head, meeting Cuddy's look as she gave him an annoyed look.

Yeah, maybe the married-name thing hadn't been a good idea!

When she closed her call he was nowhere to be seen and she just raised her eyebrows, handing a folder to the nurse behind the counter and heading to her office.

"That's still my desk" she said looking at the man behind it and approaching him.

"The door says 'House'. I get confused with all these Houses" he replied with a smirk as she ran her tongue on her lips.

"Speaking of Houses, it was Waldenwood," she said pushing House's feet off the pile of documents he was using like a pillow under his ankles "They love Adam, in spite of your umpteenth trick"

House rolled his eyes. Trying to convince her that he was innocent was a lost cause.

"You sure they gave back us the right child anyway?"

Cuddy ignored him, opening the desk drawer such vigorously that it almost hit him.

"Seriously! Who knows? A lot of children get changed in the nursery, Cuddy!"

She ignored him again.

"Everybody lies! Everybody! But my child! I'm serious. I'll have to ask for a DNA test"

She rolled her eyes again.

"Stop being an ass" she said as his arm wrapped her hips pulling her closer to himself.

She couldn't help but smirk at the look on his face as soon as his nose got a face-to-face with her breast.

"Talking of asses..." he teased moving his hands down to cup both her buttocks.

His mischievous look met hers and she just bit on her lower lip as he pulled her even closer.

"Don't you have patients to see?" She asked as he gave her a 'you-re-a-killjoy' look.

"I sent Taub. That's what fellows are for, Cuddy!" He said as she nodded "And I get off in ten minutes, boss!" He said raising his wrist to glance at his watch then meeting Cuddy's stare.

Her eyebrows lifted and he gave her a quizzical look at the gaze she gave him. The tip of her tongue dampened her lower lip and then the upper as one of the corners of her mouth curled up mischievously.

"Ten?" She asked as her teeth trapped that same lips, preventing her smile from growing wider.

He stared into her eyes, unable to prevent the shiver which ran down to his groin at her gaze.

Fuck, he knew that gaze!

"I bet five" She teased as her naughty look definitely made his jeans too tight.

.

 _(Three years earlier...)_

 _"The tissue biopsy confirms amyloidosis. ATTR type," Taub said entering House's office and resting a couple of papers on his desk "He need liver transplant. I-"_

 _He stopped at the way in which House's shoulders slightly stiffened and his Adam's apple moved down and up._

 _"Er... I looked for Cuddy for the authorization but she's not-" Taub started and then stopped again, furrowing his eyebrows at the look on House's face. Somewhere midway between fun and pain._

 _"-not in her office. I know" House said meeting Taub's look for a second before his eyes shut closed and he swallowed again._

 _Taub's mouth dropped open instead and his face turned a shade of crimson._

 _"Holy -" He gulped, meeting House's look again as his finger pointed to the desk._

 _And one of the corners of House's lips couldn't help but curl up despite the piercing cold look he gave to his employee. Taub just stammered something incomprehensible and his face turned from crimson to at least five shades of red._

 _"Er... you're busy... she's...er...busy... I'd better go"_

 _He turned to leave, stopping after just a couple of steps at the 'ouch! Careful baby' that burst out of House's throat._

 _Taub just opened and closed his mouth. It opened and then closed a second time but no words exited it. He could feel his ears catching fire as much as his face and he just swallowed again, then turning to the door and finally disappearing beyond it._

 _House couldn't help but smirk this time, looking down at the conspiratorial blue eyes between his legs, then meeting the ones which entered the door a couple of seconds later._

 _"What's wrong with Taub?" She asked, turning her head to glance at the door and then approaching his desk._

 _House just smirked again and Cuddy's eyebrows raised._

 _"House!" She warned._

 _"I didn't do anything" He laughed raising both his hands in a defense gesture as she glared at him and moved his chair by side, then reaching for the little one hid under his desk._

 _"Guess why I don't believe you?" She replied as Rachel sneaked out, placing House's Gameboy on his lap._

 _House laughed again._

 _"Maybe, and I said 'maybe', I haven't specified what Cuddy was under my desk playing with my joystick" He said in his most nonchalant tone as Cuddy rolled her eyes, sighing hard._

 _Her lips parted... and closed... and parted again, exactly like Taub's a few minutes earlier, and again no words exited._

 _He watched her as she just picked Rachel up, settling her legs better at both sides of her bump and headed to the door, giving him another glare as the little one gestured him a bye-bye from her mother's shoulder instead._

 _And he couldn't help but smile._

 _._

"Where's Cuddy?" Taub asked opening Cuddy's office door and just giving a glance to his boss, sitting on the boss's boss chair and definitely nosing around among her stuff. Nothing new.

House just swallowed and cleared his throat.

"Either not here, or under the desk. In both cases you have to wait till I'm done" He replied as Taub stopped exactly where he was.

Just for a moment though.

He rolled his eyes at his boss, giving him a _I-m-not-an-idiot_ look and stepped toward the desk, placed a couple of papers on it and nonchalantly turned to leave.

Fuck!

He looked down, meeting a pair of blue eyes and taking her by her forearms.

"You haven't locked the door!" He mouthed as she just squeezed her eyes.

He glanced beyond the closed door again and just stood up, pushing her into her private bathroom, though unable not to smirk as he trapped her against the wall.

It had began like something very transgressive and erotic, but in the last years it had become an intimate little moment just for them. No kids sharing the bed with them... no rubber ducks looking at them if they sought for a little intimacy in their bathroom... just... them.

They stared at each other, exchanging another sweet kiss and savouring each other warmth.

They would have just stayed there if there weren't two little monkeys to pick up from the play area.

"Ok, Daddy. Let's go" She said with a smirk, giving him one last kiss as he smiled in turn, in turn giving her ass one last squeeze.

They both stopped on House's office doorframe at the chuckling they could hear from under his desk.

Obviously their rugrats had chosen an alternative play area!

They looked at each other and then down as House's shoe hit a green gummy bear on the floor. He picked it up turned it in his fingers, handing it to Cuddy and gesturing her to turn around the desk to peek under it.

There they were, facing each other, sitting on their knees.

\- Ready... set... feed the monkey! -

Rachel's hand ruffled Adam's hair and he smiled wide in response.

\- Who's a good boy? -

She ruffled his hair again and they laughed in such a way that it was contagious.

\- Do you want a bear? Do you? -

\- Feed the monkey! -

House closed his eyes and held back a laugher as a red gummy bear hung over Adam's head and then filled his mouth in the best dog-training tradition.

He met Cuddy's apologetic look and took the green gummy bear from her hand, turning it between his fingers and then throwing it over his head exactly like he used to do with Vicodin. His mouth caught it, unable to prevent the smile which played on his lips.

"Maybe she took a little too much after me" He teased, taking Cuddy's hand and placing a soft kiss on the wedding ring on her finger as she smiled in turn. And nodded.

.

 _(3 years earlier)_

 _"Holy -"_

 _House's words died in his throat as soon as he opened the bedroom room and met Cuddy's look in the mirror._

 _Her fingers stopped for a fraction of second then returning to her attempt to clasp the strips of her dress on the back of her neck._

 _He didn't ask, just approaching her from behind and moving her curls by side, clasping it for her as she tried instead to fix the deep V neck underlining her breast._

 _Stunning was an underestimating._

 _He ran a hand on her bare back, slowly moving along each vertebra of her spine, then stopping on her hip as his eyes stared at that white draped skirt which voluptuously touched the floor since she didn't wear heels yet._

 _Her hands moved from her breast to her waist trying to adjust the jewel silk belt over her stomach._

 _That dress was gorgeous, except that her own breast had turned a cup C in the last week and her seven-months belly was definitely catching attention even under all those layers of taffeta. She slightly lifted her skirt with both hands as she slipped into her heels. Not that she needed it since the skirt was actually short in the front, showing her knees and legs, but because of both that puffy gown and her belly she could barely see her feet._

 _"Why on earth did Gale choose white bridesmaid's dresses?" She said sighing and turning to look at House "I look like a white whale"_

 _He just looked at her, following the nervous movements of her hands as they tried to smooth the soft fabric wrapping her belly._

 _She didn't look fat. She looked like a brid-_

 _Fuck! And she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen._

 _He swallowed, trying his best for remembering how breathing works._

 _"Remind me why I never propose?" He said as she looked up at him, meeting his gaze._

 _She couldn't help but chuckle despite the low tone of his voice._

 _"Because the only reason for people to get married is the need of protection of Homo Sapiens's female from predators during breast feeding," she replied in a flat tone with a smirk "but the only predator in this house is the gigantic stuffed dinosaur Rachel made you buy for her brother," she added patting his shoulder "and I'm sure it can't hurt me"_

 _She smiled wider running her hand along his white shirt and then his neck, finding his cheek and brushing his stubble with her thumb as he stared into her eyes. She slightly kissed his lips leaving on them a light shade of her lipstick, then passing near him and handing him the black jacket of his tuxedo._

 _He looked at her as her eyes didn't meet his, focused on fixing his tie. He loved that complicity. The way in which they could fulfill each other needs without asking._

 _"Howse, look!"_

 _They both turned their head to the door as soon as it shut open and Rachel rushed in, pirouetting and twirling around making her ball gown flutter and blow up._

 _She stopped in front of him with a hop and a ear-to-ear smile as the corners of his lips couldn't help but curl up._

 _"What are you?" He asked with a serious look, holding back a smile "A meringue?"_

 _He had to use all his concentration not to laugh at the glare she gave at him._

 _"I'm a bride" She said, crossing her arms in front of her chest._

 _"You're not. Not until an unlucky guy comes to ask me for your hand"_

 _Her eyebrows lifted and then furrowed giving her the most funny expression._

 _"I'm not gonna give my hand to anyone" She replied and he laughed as this time she hid both her hands behind her back._

 _"Believe me, he'll take more than your hand" He said again as Cuddy slapped his nape this time making his words mix with a 'ouch'._

 _._

 _A Jewish wedding. In a way a sort of outer circle from Dante's Inferno for him._

 _House looked at Cuddy as he walked toward the sofa in the back of the room, in a way far from the noise of the people dancing and chatting near there. She was seated on the coach, her back relaxed against the seatback and her head slightly tilted back, her hands on her lap and her legs stretched in front of her._

 _He glanced at her bare feet and at the white pair of heels abandoned on the floor. She looked tired, and at the same time she was stunning. Dark locks falling on her shoulders, against the white silk of her dress._

 _A faint but warm smile played on her lips as she caught sight of him and his look softened in turn._

 _"Tired?" He asked, sitting down next to her as her hand found his knee._

 _She replied just with a 'hhhmmm'. Her way to hide a 'very' under a sort of 'I'm fine'._

 _His hand reached for her belly, stroking it through the soft silk of her dress, and her hand found his, intertwining her fingers with his._

 _"I'm fine" She said as he looked into his eyes "Your baby just like weddings as much as his father"_

 _Actually she was still wondering how could had happened that he had agreed to accompany her to her cousin's wedding. A wedding was bad enough for him, not to mention a big and sumptuous Jewish ceremony._

 _"I still can't believe you wore a kippah," she teased with a smirk as he held her mischievous gaze._

 _"Just because it hides my bold spot" he replied as she smiled again, looking at his hand as his fingers caressed hers._

 _Her smile slowly faded at the look in his eyes, replaced by a puzzled look._

 _"We should get married"_

 _Her jaw hung opened in disbelief for a second and then she chuckled._

 _"Yeah, sorry, my mother can do this effect" she laughed as her eyes sought Arlene somewhere at the other side of the room than looking at him again "I'm sure she told you need to convert, eat kasher and accept and observe_ _all the_ _613 commandments_ _in rabbinical enumeration_ _,"_

 _"I wouldn't care about a farce if that wouldn't mean a scalpel and my penis in the same sentence too"_

 _She chuckled, shaking her head and massaging the side of her belly as her own son reacted to such an absurdity giving her a strong kick._

 _"Anyway, Cuddy, I proposed and you're just evading the answer?"_

 _She smiled, tilting her head back again against the seatback, turning it to look at him._

 _"You didn't propose," she chuckled again "you've just been caught in my mother's vortex. It's ok, House. Marriage isn't my target anymore,"_

 _She warmly smiled, looking away at another kick of the baby in her womb._

 _"and we already have a blood bond," "she said smoothing her gown with her free hand and caressing her belly "I really don't need a signature on a paper."_

 _She stared into the piercing blue of his eyes, caressing his jaw and he just nodded, making his hand slide on the soft silk of her dress and protectively resting it on hers._

 _"We're ok like this," she said again "me and you. And our son. And Rachel. We don't need anything else"_

 _He just nodded, staring at her and lightly squeezing her hand._

 _Me and you. And our son. And Rachel._

 _Dots... not commas..._

 _And he just nodded again._

 _._

 _"_ _Remember me why people want to wrap themselves in sort of meringues and massacre their feet in their big day?" She asked, meeting House's gaze in the mirror as he entered the bedroom._

 _His tie hung along her neck and his shirt was wrinkled after the long day and even more after that a four-year child had slept against it for almost an hour._

 _"I thought you were a fan of the white dress" he teased giving her a mischievous look as he helped her to slip out of it._

 _"Till today" she replied, stepping out of that voluminous gown._

 _House's hands found her hip, pulling her closer as his eyes moved along her body, lingering on the white lace bra enveloping her full breast._

 _"What if I really meant to get married to you?" He teased (or maybe didn't) as she briefly closed her eyes, biting her lower lip and smiling as their eyes locked again._

 _"Then at least buy me a pair of Nike,"_

 _Their amused looks met and they just looked at each other for a few seconds as House's fingers caressed her forearm, moving up slowly along her arm and shoulder._

 _"I'm serious" He said as she just gave him a shrug as response._

 _"Me too" She said with a smile, resting a hand on his chest and savouring the warmth of that feeling._

 _The blue of his eyes melt with hers and their lips found each other in a soft kiss. He watched her as she moved the bed sheets by side and went under them, settling the pillow better under her head. She smiled as soon as he spooned her, caressing her shoulder and then wrapping his arm around her belly, meeting her hand. He couldn't see that smile, but he could feel it._

 _"Well, just so you know, if you decide to answer to my no-proposal, just do it before my prostate stops working. I don't want to end up the same way of that so-called-groom!" He whispered in her ear, placing a soft kiss on the side of her neck._

 _Cuddy couldn't help the laugher that escaped her lips._

 _"He's not that old, House. Ten years older than you. She's the very younger one"_

 _She didn't move, just taking his hand and placing it a little lower on her belly, in an attempt to have her baby stopping to flip and kick her stomach._

 _"She's less than half his age and he looks like the genie from Aladdin's tale, Cuddy. Anyway, I'm not sure if she rubs his lamp he can grant her wishes"_

 _"Oh God," she rolled her eyes and rolled in bed at the same time, resting on her back so she could look into his eyes "You're disgusting"_

 _"Really?" He mischievously asked as his hand stroke her lower belly, then moving a little down "Admit it, they're ridiculous"_

 _Cuddy smiled and nodded, biting her lower lip at the feeling of House's fingers moving under the elastic band of her panties._

 _"Yeah, Rachel asked me if he was the bride's daddy" She laughed._

 _"Well, he's the classic sugar daddy," he laughed in turn giving her a mischievous look "I wonder what does she sees in him anyway"_

 _Cuddy just smiled and turned more toward him, caressing his chest as his hand followed the line of her hip, then stopping on the side of her belly._

 _"Well, I suppose it's the charm of a successful man. Older men are caring... er... supporting... interesting... And they_ _offer mature experience when it comes to intimacy_ _!" She teased with a smirk "Guess why I had a crush on you at College, daddy!"_

 _He gave her a sort of glare and rolled his eyes, rolling in turn in bed till he was on his back._

 _"Not the same. I'm not that old, mommy" he said looking at the ceiling._

 _"You were a senior, I was a freshman. For me, you were old enough at that time," she laughed as he couldn't help but smirk as she propped on her elbow, looking down at him "and you had a certain reputation,"_

 _He ran his tongue on his lower lip at the naughty look in her eyes._

 _"What reputation?" He asked just for the pleasure to hear it from her mouth._

 _"_ _Er... your ability to take your time in the art of seduction and eroticism," she replied fidgeting with his light chest hair._

 _He chuckled again._

 _"Something that after a certain age it's due to prostatitis though, my sugar baby!"_

 _A laugher burst from her throat too this time and she slapped his chest, then finding his lips in a soft kiss and lingering on them till the baby kicked House's side, pushing his mother to move back a little._

 _House's arm reached for her instead, pulling her closer again._

 _"I should have known you have a soft spot for old men with a cane, mommy!" He chuckled, moving from his own face one of her locks and cupping her cheek then finding her lips again._

 _He slightly bit her lower lip, sucking it and her lips parted more, giving access to his tongue in a deeper kiss._

 _..._

 _She felt the roughness of his stubble on her cheek and then the softness of his lips but just hummed, still in the numb of sleep._

 _"Go back to sleep. I got it"_

 _She hummed again, nodding as his hand covered the one on her stomach, softly squeezing it. A chill ran down her back at the suddenly missing of the warmth of his body near her and she rolled in bed, wrapping the sheets more around herself and looking at his back as he disappeared in the darkness and beyond the door._

 _2 in the morning. Rachel awakening at such a time was anything new after such a thrilling day. She had fallen asleep in House's lap, not moving when he had carried her in the car and then to bed nor when Cuddy had pull her out of her flower-girl dress._

 _"Hey"_

 _There she was. Fully awake and sit up on her bed, looking around in the dim light of her room like someone who's asking herself why and when she got there since the last thing she remembered was a noisy and sparkling dancing room._

 _"Mom?" She asked_

 _House rolled his eyes in a funny way making her smile even before his words exited his lips._

 _"Have you seen that bump of hers? It's not easy to get up after you ate such a huge ball"_

 _She chuckled, making room for him on the bed as he sat down._

 _"It's not a ball, it's the baby brother"_

 _She laughed as this time House's eyes grew wider and his mouth opened in a scared grimace, making him look halfway between the scared icon and Munch's 'The scream'._

 _On the other side of the wall Cuddy ran a hand on her face, sighing and rolling in bed, resting on her right side for a few seconds and then propping on her elbow, slowly sitting up. She couldn't hear what they were talking about but she could hear them chuckling and a laugher from time to time and that wasn't good. Well, not at that time in the morning, that to be honest was definitely still night._

 _She reached for her robe slipping into it and holding her back as she stood up, heading to the door but stopping after a few steps, sighing as the baby boy pressing on her bladder forced her instead to go to the bathroom first._

 _It was all quieter when she walked out, listening to what was just silence and pondering if simply going back to bed or checking anyway on the two in the next room. There was a 50-50 chance House had fallen asleep in Rachel's bed and that would have meant a grumpy and aching boyfriend on the morning after._

 _She stopped out of the room as she heard his voice, so weak that it was just a soft whisper, and peeped through the half-closed door._

 _There he was, lying down near Rachel in the scarce room of her single bed, talking to her with a soothing voice as his hand smoothed her hair. If Adam hadn't kicked her ribs again making her almost startled she had thought she was still dreaming._

 _"You promise?" Rachel's sleepy voice asked in turn in a whisper._

 _"Always"_

 _"And to check my closet for monsters?" She asked again in a half-conscious tone as a soft chuckle escaped House's mouth._

 _"Yeah. And under your bed," he added as Rachel nodded and wrapped his neck even tighter._

 _"I promise to be always there for you, Rachel. That there will always be enough room for you under my desk._ _And that w_ _e will never tell Mom we use to get in-coma patients' stuffed pets on loan to play. I promise_ _to be an accomplice, a friend, a trusted friend... a dad if you'd want me to... because you're my kid, and I promise t_ _o protect and cherish and love you_ _till my addicted liver stops working"_

 _He stayed there, motionless, just listening to Rachel's calm breathing and at the feeling of her now heavy arm around his neck. He tried to get up slowly, not making any noise, and he almost succeeded in it except for the way in which the mattress lifted at the missing of his weight._

 _"Daddy,"_

 _He froze at that whisper, turning to her as she didn't stir nor open her eyes._

 _"...'night" she just added as her breathing went back to the deepness of half-sleep._

 _"...'night" he just replied, reaching for the door and stepping in the quiet hallway._

 _Everything was silent and calm. Everything but the heart hammering in his chest. Half past 2 in the morning and he was fully awake like if it was midday._

 _He slipped under the sheets moving closer to Cuddy's warmth and wrapping her waist, resting a hand on her abdomen and somehow caressing his son's head like he had done with Rachel just moments earlier._

 _She moved, rolling and turning to face him as he was forced to move back to make room for her belly between them._

 _"What?" He asked, meeting her smile and trying his best to give her a serious and nonchalant look._

 _"Well... it looks like you said your vows to a Cuddy eventually," She teased, mingling her legs with his and still savouring the feeling of his arm around her._

 _"You jealous?"_

 _She lightly shook her head no, giving him a so warm smile that warmed him despite the space between them._

 _"I can leave Daddy to her," she whispered caressing his jaw and brushing his lips with hers as a mischievous look played in her eyes "I'm ok with my_ _Sugar Daddy"_

...

 **THE END**

...

* * *

So... well, thank you to everyone for reading. Thank you for the reviews, the support and the smiles you put on my face as I read everyone of them.

A special thanks to you, Caliana, for having inspired me this story and to you, my beta-reader, who inspires me stuff even when you don't know you do (muchas gracias, woman! Me recuerdas a alguien... ;) jajajaja)

See ya!


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